[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7456-H7480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  1998

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House resolve itself into the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 2378) making appropriations for the 
Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal Service, the Executive Office of 
the President, and certain independent agencies, for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes; and pending that 
motion, Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that general debate be 
limited to not to exceed 1 hour, the time to be equally divided and 
controlled by the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] and myself.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe].
  The motion was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair designates the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Dreier] as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, and 
requests the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette] to assume the chair 
temporarily.

[[Page H7457]]

                              {time}  1425


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the 
bill, H.R. 2378, with Mr. LaTourette, Chairman pro tempore, in the 
chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of today, the bill is 
considered as having been read the first time.
  Under the unanimous consent agreement, the gentleman from Arizona 
[Mr. Kolbe] and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] each will 
control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe].
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, today I present to the House H.R. 2378, the fiscal year 
1998 Treasury, Postal Service and General Government appropriations 
bill, a bill that is consistent with our objectives of achieving a 
balanced budget by 2002, a bill strong on oversight of the agencies 
that come under this subcommittee's jurisdiction. I present to my 
colleagues legislation that very dramatically changes and improves the 
way the White House accounts for political events held there; a bill 
that continues the aggressive oversight over the Internal Revenue 
Service's modernization program; and a bill that tackles important 
issues of integrity in the Customs Service.
  Mr. Chairman, this bill balances the competing demands of being 
fiscally responsible and providing what is needed to fully fund drug 
and law enforcement programs under our jurisdiction. As reported, H.R. 
2378 provides $12.5 billion in budget authority and is exactly as it's 
602(b) allocation in both budget authority and outlays. At the same 
time, we continue our strong commitment to counter-narcotic and law 
enforcement programs, providing $3.4 billion for these efforts, an 
increase of $287 million over fiscal year 1997 funding.
  This includes $1.5 billion for drug-related activities, including 
$195 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's proposed 
media campaign that is targeted to the youth of this country--that is 
$20 million more than the President requested. It also includes $10 
million for the recently authorized Drug-Free Communities Act, and $47 
million for additional Customs Service equipment for drug interdiction 
and passenger processing.
  I am also pleased to report a bill that I think makes a strong stand 
on oversight. During the fiscal year 1998 hearing cycle, the committee 
learned of instances of taxpayer subsidization of political events in 
the White House, overspending in GSA's Federal Building Fund, 
vulnerability within the Customs Service operations, and an ongoing 
need to get the Internal Revenue Service on track in the development of 
a modernized tax collection system. H.R. 2378 addresses each of these 
issues.
  Let me just highlight a couple of the ways in which we do that. 
First, there is a moratorium on construction and major repair projects 
within GSA's Federal Building Program. There are no GSA construction 
projects funded in this bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I cannot think of a time when we have had a bill that 
had no Federal building projects in it.
  It includes a requirement that the Office of Professional 
Responsibility within the Treasury Department undertake a comprehensive 
and aggressive review of Customs Service operations in order to address 
concerns that agents and inspectors may be vulnerable to corruption, 
and it includes a continuation of the requirement that IRS complete and 
submit a comprehensive capital investment blueprint prior to obligating 
a penny toward computer modernization.
  Let me briefly address one issue all Members should be aware of. As I 
mentioned earlier, we did discover in our hearing process that 
taxpayers have traditionally, this is not a new thing, subsidized the 
cost of political fundraisers in the Executive residence of the White 
House. I fully acknowledge the political hat that the President wears, 
and I have no intention of limiting the President's duties as the head 
of his political party. However, all of us in this body and as American 
citizens should be opposed to using Federal dollars to pay for 
political events. Apparently, and despite initial protests, the White 
House now agrees with that position and supports the changes in this 
bill that would ensure that taxpayers no longer support political 
events in the Executive residence.
  This bill establishes an entirely new appropriation account to be 
used for official and political events within the White House. It 
requires that all political events be paid for up front without the use 
of taxpayer funds. It requires prompt reimbursements for political and 
official events held in the Executive residence. It requires the 
Executive to develop a standard definition for the classification of 
political or nonpolitical events and, based on input from the minority 
side, it establishes a $25,000 revolving fund, capitalized by the 
national political party of the President who sits in the White House, 
to accommodate those political events which cannot be scheduled in 
advance, such as the spontaneous meetings on legislation that the 
President may have with congressional leaders from his party.
  The changes made to the accounting structure of the Executive 
residence are based on good budgeting, good government and the 
fundamental principles of appropriation laws. The changes proposed here 
are the exact ones I would have proposed for a Republican 
administration, had we known about this practice of Federal taxpayers 
paying for political events in the White House.
  Mr. Chairman, before I yield back my time I do want to thank the 
gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Steny Hoyer, my ranking member, who has 
worked with me and my staff to produce a bill that all Members can 
support. I have never had a Member that I have worked with as closely 
as the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] and I appreciate the 
cooperation that he has shown.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like also to note the work that has been done 
by our staff. I think the really exceptional work by our staff, two of 
them of course are now national media figures with the Wall Street 
Journal, are: The clerk of the subcommittee, Michelle Mrdeza, and Betsy 
Phillips, who is also the staff assistant. Without their work and the 
work of our other staff, Jeff Ashford, Melanie Marshall, Jennifer 
Rouse, and from the minority side Pat Schlueter, we would not have the 
bill that we have today.
  Let me finally mention the personal work of my assistant Jason Isaak 
and Mr. Hoyer's assistant Seth Statler, who have been instrumental in 
getting this bill to us.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by complimenting the chairman, the 
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe], for the fine job he and his staff 
have done in producing this bill. This bill represents a measured and 
responsible effort to allocate sufficient funds to each of the agencies 
covered by the bill so that they can carry out the duties assigned to 
them in an effective way.
  Very frankly, I believe this is the best bill that we have passed in 
last 3 years; and I congratulate the chairman, the gentleman from 
Arizona [Mr. Kolbe], and our famous staff and others for this 
accomplishment.
  Overall, within the constraints of the Budget Act, our allocation in 
this bill includes a reduction of $596 million in budget authority from 
the 1998 requested sum.
  Mr. Chairman, basically this bill deals adequately with the IRS. We 
have had problems with that. That is the biggest component of the bill. 
Unfortunately, it does not fund law enforcement quite as much as I 
would like to see done. That is because of the fiscal constraints that 
confront us. That is understandable.
  With respect to other portions of the bill, the gentleman from 
Arizona [Mr. Kolbe] has pointed out that there are no, I repeat, no GSA 
projects in this bill. That is unfortunate, I know, from the standpoint 
of many Members who know that there are needs in their districts. But 
again, the fiscal constraints that have confront us have compelled us 
to that objective.
  Mr. Chairman, I simply want to restate that the gentleman from 
Arizona [Mr. Kolbe] has done an outstanding

[[Page H7458]]

job. The members of the committee have worked very hard on this bill. I 
think it is a bill that Members can be proud of and will feel meets the 
Congress' responsibility to fund the important agencies that come 
within the ambit of this bill.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I have no requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time in 
general debate.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). All time for general 
debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the order of the House today, the bill shall be 
considered for amendment under the 5-minute rule. The Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole may postpone a request for a recorded vote on 
any amendment and may reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes the time for 
voting on any postponed question that immediately follows another vote, 
provided that the time for voting on the first question shall be a 
minimum of 15 minutes.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2378

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes, namely:

                  TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

                          Departmental Offices


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Departmental Offices 
     including operation and maintenance of the Treasury Building 
     and Annex; hire of passenger motor vehicles; maintenance, 
     repairs, and improvements of, and purchase of commercial 
     insurance policies for, real properties leased or owned 
     overseas, when necessary for the performance of official 
     business; not to exceed $2,900,000 for official travel 
     expenses; not to exceed $150,000 for official reception and 
     representation expenses; not to exceed $258,000 for 
     unforeseen emergencies of a confidential nature, to be 
     allocated and expended under the direction of the Secretary 
     of the Treasury and to be accounted for solely on his 
     certificate; $113,410,000: Provided, That section 113(3) of 
     the Fiscal Year 1997 Department of Commerce, Justice, and 
     State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
     Act, Public Law 104-208 (110 Stat. 3009-22) is amended by 
     striking ``12 months'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``2 
     years'': Provided further, That $200,000 are provided to 
     conduct a comprehensive study of gambling's effects on 
     bankruptcies in the United States.

                 Office of Professional Responsibility


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Professional 
     Responsibility, including purchase and hire of passenger 
     motor vehicles, $1,500,000: Provided, That the Under 
     Secretary of Treasury for Enforcement shall task the Office 
     of Professional Responsibility to conduct a comprehensive 
     review of integrity issues and other matters related to the 
     vulnerability of the U.S. Customs Service to corruption, to 
     include examination of charges of professional misconduct and 
     corruption as well as analysis of the efficacy of 
     departmental and bureau internal affairs systems.

                         Automation Enhancement


                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the development and acquisition of automatic data 
     processing equipment, software, and services for the 
     Department of the Treasury, $25,989,000, of which $11,500,000 
     shall be available to the United States Customs Service for 
     the Automated Commercial Environment project, of which 
     $5,600,000 shall be available to Departmental Offices for the 
     International Trade Data System, and of which $8,789,000 
     shall be available to Departmental Offices to modernize its 
     information technology infrastructure and for business 
     solution software: Provided, That these funds shall remain 
     available until September 30, 1999: Provided further, That 
     these funds shall be transferred to accounts and in amounts 
     as necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Department's 
     offices, bureaus, and other organizations: Provided further, 
     That this transfer authority shall be in addition to any 
     other transfer authority provided in this Act: Provided 
     further, That none of the funds appropriated shall be used to 
     support or supplement Internal Revenue Service appropriations 
     for Information Systems: Provided further, That of the 
     $27,000,000 provided under this heading in Public Law 104-
     208, $12,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     1999: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated 
     for the International Trade Data System may be obligated 
     until the Department has submitted a report on their system 
     development plan to the Committees on Appropriations: 
     Provided further, That none of the $11,500,000 appropriated 
     for the Automated Commercial Environment may be obligated 
     until the systems architecture plan has been reviewed by the 
     General Accounting Office and approved by the Committees on 
     Appropriations.

                      Office of Inspector General


                         salaries and expenses

                     (Including Transfer of Funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act 
     of 1978, as amended, not to exceed $2,000,000 for official 
     travel expenses; including hire of passenger motor vehicles; 
     and not to exceed $100,000 for unforeseen emergencies of a 
     confidential nature, to be allocated and expended under the 
     direction of the Inspector General of the Treasury; 
     $30,927,000, of which $26,034 shall be transferred to the 
     ``Departmental Offices'' appropriation for the reimbursement 
     of Secret Service personnel in accordance with section 117 of 
     this Act.

           Treasury Building and Annex Repair and Restoration

       For the repair, alteration, and improvement of the Treasury 
     Building and Annex, $6,484,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 1999.

                  Financial Crimes Enforcement Network


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Financial Crimes Enforcement 
     Network, including hire of passenger motor vehicles; travel 
     expenses of non-Federal law enforcement personnel to attend 
     meetings concerned with financial intelligence activities, 
     law enforcement, and financial regulation; not to exceed 
     $14,000 for official reception and representation expenses; 
     and for assistance to Federal law enforcement agencies, with 
     or without reimbursement; $22,835,000: Provided, That funds 
     appropriated in this account may be used to procure personal 
     service contracts.

                    Violent Crime Reduction Programs


                     (including transfer of funds)

       For activities authorized by Public Law 103-322, to remain 
     available until expended, which shall be derived from the 
     Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund, as follows:
       (a) As authorized by section 190001(e), $88,000,000; of 
     which $21,528,000 shall be available to the Bureau of 
     Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, including $3,000,000 for 
     administering the Gang Resistance Education and Training 
     program, $6,000,000 for firearms trafficking initiatives 
     (including the Youth Crime Gun Initiative, Project LEAD, and 
     the National Tracing Center), $5,458,000 for increased 
     explosives inspections, $462,000 for laboratory and 
     investigative supplies, $5,000,000 for vehicles and 
     laboratory, communication, and information technology 
     equipment, and $1,608,000 for collection of information on 
     arson and explosives; of which $1,000,000 shall be available 
     to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; of which 
     $16,837,000 shall be available to the United States Secret 
     Service, including $9,323,000 for expenses related to White 
     House Security, $5,000,000 for investigations of 
     counterfeiting, and $2,514,000 for forensic support of 
     investigations of missing and exploited children, of which 
     $514,000 shall be available as a grant on September 30, 1998, 
     for activities related to the investigations of exploited 
     children and shall remain available until expended; of which 
     $43,635,000 shall be available for the United States Customs 
     Service, including $15,000,000 for high energy container x-
     ray systems and automated targeting systems, $4,000,000 for 
     redeploying agents and inspectors to high threat drug zones, 
     $5,735,000 for laboratory modernization, $10,000,000 for 
     vehicle replacement, $7,800,000 for automated license plate 
     readers, and $1,100,000 for construction of canopies for 
     inspection of outbound vehicles along the Southwest border; 
     and of which $5,000,000 shall be available to the Counterdrug 
     Technology Assessment Center for a program to transfer 
     technology to State and local law enforcement agencies.
       (b) As authorized by section 32401, $8,000,000 to the 
     Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for disbursement 
     through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to local 
     governments for Gang Resistance Education and Training: 
     Provided, That notwithstanding sections 32401 and 310001, 
     such funds shall be allocated to State and local law 
     enforcement and prevention organizations.
       (c) As authorized by section 180103, $1,000,000 to the 
     Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for specialized 
     training for rural law enforcement officers.

                Federal Law Enforcement Training Center


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Federal Law Enforcement 
     Training Center, as a bureau of the Department of the 
     Treasury, including materials and support costs of Federal 
     law enforcement basic training; purchase (not to exceed 52 
     for police-type use, without regard to the general purchase 
     price limitation) and hire of passenger motor vehicles; for 
     expenses for student athletic and related activities; 
     uniforms without regard to the general purchase price 
     limitation for the current fiscal year; the conducting of and 
     participating in firearms matches and presentation of awards; 
     for public awareness and enhancing community support of law 
     enforcement training; not to exceed $9,500 for official 
     reception and representation expenses; room and board for 
     student interns; and services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109; 
     $64,663,000, of which up to $13,034,000 for materials and 
     support costs of Federal law enforcement basic training shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2000: Provided, That the 
     Center is authorized to accept and use gifts of property, 
     both real and personal, and to accept services, for 
     authorized purposes, including funding of a gift of intrinsic 
     value

[[Page H7459]]

     which shall be awarded annually by the Director of the Center 
     to the outstanding student who graduated from a basic 
     training program at the Center during the previous fiscal 
     year, which shall be funded only by gifts received through 
     the Center's gift authority: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, students 
     attending training at any Federal Law Enforcement Training 
     Center site shall reside in on-Center or Center-provided 
     housing, insofar as available and in accordance with Center 
     policy: Provided further, That funds appropriated in this 
     account shall be available, at the discretion of the 
     Director, for: training United States Postal Service law 
     enforcement personnel and Postal police officers; State and 
     local government law enforcement training on a space-
     available basis; training of foreign law enforcement 
     officials on a space-available basis with reimbursement of 
     actual costs to this appropriation; training of private 
     sector security officials on a space-available basis with 
     reimbursement of actual costs to this appropriation; and 
     travel expenses of non-Federal personnel to attend course 
     development meetings and training at the Center: Provided 
     further, That the Center is authorized to obligate funds in 
     anticipation of reimbursements from agencies receiving 
     training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, 
     except that total obligations at the end of the fiscal year 
     shall not exceed total budgetary resources available at the 
     end of the fiscal year: Provided further, That the Federal 
     Law Enforcement Training Center is authorized to provide 
     short term medical services for students undergoing training 
     at the Center.


     acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses

       For expansion of the Federal Law Enforcement Training 
     Center, for acquisition of necessary additional real property 
     and facilities, and for ongoing maintenance, facility 
     improvements, and related expenses, $32,548,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

                      Interagency Law Enforcement


                 interagency crime and drug enforcement

       For expenses necessary for the detection and investigation 
     of individuals involved in organized crime drug trafficking, 
     including cooperative efforts with State and local law 
     enforcement, $73,794,000, of which $7,827,000 shall remain 
     available until expended.

                      Financial Management Service


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Financial Management Service, 
     $199,675,000, of which not to exceed $13,235,000 shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2000 for information systems 
     modernization initiatives: Provided, That beginning in fiscal 
     year 1998 and thereafter, there are appropriated such sums as 
     may be necessary to reimburse Federal Reserve banks in their 
     capacity as depositaries and fiscal agents for the United 
     States for all services required or directed by the Secretary 
     of the Treasury to be performed by such banks on behalf of 
     the Treasury or other Federal agencies.

                Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco 
     and Firearms, including purchase of not to exceed 650 
     vehicles for police-type use for replacement only and hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles; hire of aircraft; services of 
     expert witnesses at such rates as may be determined by the 
     Director; for payment of per diem and/or subsistence 
     allowances to employees where an assignment to the National 
     Response Team during the investigation of a bombing or arson 
     incident requires an employee to work 16 hours or more per 
     day or to remain overnight at his or her post of duty; not to 
     exceed $15,000 for official reception and representation 
     expenses; for training of State and local law enforcement 
     agencies with or without reimbursement, including training in 
     connection with the training and acquisition of canines for 
     explosives and fire accelerants detection; and provision of 
     laboratory assistance to State and local agencies, with or 
     without reimbursement; $477,649,000; of which not to exceed 
     $1,000,000 shall be available for the payment of attorneys' 
     fees as provided by 18 U.S.C. 924(d)(2); and of which 
     $1,000,000 shall be available for the equipping of any 
     vessel, vehicle, equipment, or aircraft available for 
     official use by a State or local law enforcement agency if 
     the conveyance will be used in drug-related joint law 
     enforcement operations with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco 
     and Firearms and for the payment of overtime salaries, 
     travel, fuel, training, equipment, and other similar costs of 
     State and local law enforcement officers that are incurred in 
     joint operations with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and 
     Firearms: Provided, That no funds made available by this or 
     any other Act may be used to transfer the functions, 
     missions, or activities of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and 
     Firearms to other agencies or Departments in the fiscal year 
     ending on September 30, 1998: Provided further, That no funds 
     appropriated herein shall be available for salaries or 
     administrative expenses in connection with consolidating or 
     centralizing, within the Department of the Treasury, the 
     records, or any portion thereof, of acquisition and 
     disposition of firearms maintained by Federal firearms 
     licensees: Provided further, That no funds appropriated 
     herein shall be used to pay administrative expenses or the 
     compensation of any officer or employee of the United States 
     to implement an amendment or amendments to 27 CFR 178.118 or 
     to change the definition of ``Curios or relics'' in 27 CFR 
     178.11 or remove any item from ATF Publication 5300.11 as it 
     existed on January 1, 1994: Provided further, That none of 
     the funds appropriated herein shall be available to 
     investigate or act upon applications for relief from Federal 
     firearms disabilities under 18 U.S.C. 925(c): Provided 
     further, That such funds shall be available to investigate 
     and act upon applications filed by corporations for relief 
     from Federal firearms disabilities under 18 U.S.C. 925(c): 
     Provided further, That no funds in this Act may be used to 
     provide ballistics imaging equipment to any State or local 
     authority who has obtained similar equipment through a 
     Federal grant or subsidy unless the State or local authority 
     agrees to return that equipment or to repay that grant or 
     subsidy to the Federal Government: Provided further, That no 
     funds under this Act may be used to electronically retrieve 
     information gathered pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(4) by name 
     or any personal identification code.


                         laboratory facilities

       For necessary expenses for construction of a new facility 
     or facilities to house the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and 
     Firearms National Laboratory Center and the Fire 
     Investigation Research and Development Center, not to exceed 
     185,000 occupiable square feet, to remain available until 
     expended $55,022,000: Provided, That these funds shall not be 
     available until a prospectus of authorization for the 
     Laboratory Facilities is approved by the House Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                     United States Customs Service


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the United States Customs 
     Service, including purchase and lease of up to 1,050 motor 
     vehicles for police-type use and commercial operations; hire 
     of motor vehicles; contracting with individuals for personal 
     services abroad; not to exceed $30,000 for official reception 
     and representation expenses; and awards of compensation to 
     informers, as authorized by any Act enforced by the United 
     States Customs Service; $1,526,078,000, of which such sums as 
     become available in the Customs User Fee Account, except sums 
     subject to section 13031(f)(3) of the Consolidated Omnibus 
     Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (19 U.S.C. 58c(f)(3)), 
     shall be derived from that Account; of the total, not to 
     exceed $150,000 shall be available for payment for rental 
     space in connection with preclearance operations, and not to 
     exceed $4,000,000 shall be available until expended for 
     research and not to exceed $5,000,000 shall be available 
     until expended for conducting special operations pursuant to 
     19 U.S.C. 2081 and up to $6,000,000 shall be available until 
     expended for the procurement of automation infrastructure 
     items, including hardware, software, and installation: 
     Provided, That uniforms may be purchased without regard to 
     the general purchase price limitation for the current fiscal 
     year: Provided further, That notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the fiscal year aggregate overtime 
     limitation prescribed in subsection 5(c)(1) of the Act of 
     February 13, 1911 (19 U.S.C. 261 and 267) shall be $30,000.


 operations, maintenance and procurement, air and marine interdiction 
                                programs

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of marine vessels, aircraft, and 
     other related equipment of the Air and Marine Programs, 
     including operational training and mission-related travel, 
     and rental payments for facilities occupied by the air or 
     marine interdiction and demand reduction programs, the 
     operations of which include the interdiction of narcotics and 
     other goods; the provision of support to Customs and other 
     Federal, State, and local agencies in the enforcement or 
     administration of laws enforced by the Customs Service; and, 
     at the discretion of the Commissioner of Customs, the 
     provision of assistance to Federal, State, and local agencies 
     in other law enforcement and emergency humanitarian efforts; 
     $97,258,000, which shall remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That no aircraft or other related equipment, with 
     the exception of aircraft which is one of a kind and has been 
     identified as excess to Customs requirements and aircraft 
     which has been damaged beyond repair, shall be transferred to 
     any other Federal agency, Department, or office outside of 
     the Department of the Treasury, during fiscal year 1998 
     without the prior approval of the House and Senate Committees 
     on Appropriations.


                   customs services at small airports

                  (to be derived from fees collected)

       Beginning in fiscal year 1998 and thereafter, such sums as 
     may be necessary for expenses for the provision of Customs 
     services at certain small airports or other facilities when 
     authorized by law and designated by the Secretary of the 
     Treasury, including expenditures for the salary and expenses 
     of individuals employed to provide such services, to be 
     derived from fees collected by the Secretary pursuant to 
     section 236 of Public Law 98-573 for each of these airports 
     or other facilities when authorized by law and designated by 
     the Secretary, and to remain available until expended.


                   harbor maintenance fee collection

       For administrative expenses related to the collection of 
     the Harbor Maintenance Fee, pursuant to Public Law 103-182, 
     $3,000,000, to be derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust 
     Fund and to be transferred to and

[[Page H7460]]

     merged with the Customs ``Salaries and Expenses'' account for 
     such purposes.

                       Bureau of the Public Debt


                     administering the public debt

       For necessary expenses connected with any public-debt 
     issues of the United States, $173,826,000, of which 
     $2,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2000 
     for information systems modernization initiatives: Provided, 
     That the sum appropriated herein from the General Fund for 
     fiscal year 1998 shall be reduced by not more than $4,400,000 
     as definitive security issue fees and Treasury Direct 
     Investor Account Maintenance fees are collected, so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 1998 appropriation from the 
     General Fund estimated at $169,426,000, and in addition, 
     $20,000, to be derived from the Oil Spill Liability Trust 
     Fund to reimburse the Bureau for administrative and personnel 
     expenses for financial management of the Fund, as authorized 
     by section 102 of Public Law 101-380: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding any other provisions of law, effective upon 
     enactment, the Bureau of the Public Debt shall be fully and 
     directly reimbursed by the funds described in Public Law 101-
     136, title I, section 104, 103 Stat. 789 for costs and 
     services performed by the Bureau in the administration of 
     such funds.

                        Internal Revenue Service


                 processing, assistance, and management

       For necessary expenses of the Internal Revenue Service, not 
     otherwise provided for; including processing tax returns; 
     revenue accounting; providing tax law and account assistance 
     to taxpayers by telephone and correspondence; matching 
     information returns and tax returns; management services; 
     rent and utilities; and inspection; including purchase (not 
     to exceed 150 for replacement only for police-type use) and 
     hire of passenger motor vehicles (31 U.S.C. 1343(b)); and 
     services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, at such rates as may 
     be determined by the Commissioner; $2,915,100,000, of which 
     up to $3,700,000 shall be for the Tax Counseling for the 
     Elderly Program, and of which not to exceed $25,000 shall be 
     for official reception and representation expenses.


                          tax law enforcement

                         (including rescission)

       For necessary expenses of the Internal Revenue Service for 
     determining and establishing tax liabilities; tax and 
     enforcement litigation; technical rulings; examining employee 
     plans and exempt organizations; investigation and enforcement 
     activities; securing unfiled tax returns; collecting unpaid 
     accounts; statistics of income and compliance research; the 
     purchase (for police-type use, not to exceed 850), and hire 
     of passenger motor vehicles (31 U.S.C. 1343(b)); and services 
     as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, at such rates as may be 
     determined by the Commissioner, $3,108,300,000: Provided, 
     That of the funds made available under this heading in Public 
     Law 104-208, $10,000,000 are rescinded and in Public Law 104-
     52, $4,500,000 are rescinded.


                          information systems

       For necessary expenses for data processing and 
     telecommunications support for Internal Revenue Service 
     activities, including developmental information systems and 
     operational information systems; the hire of passenger motor 
     vehicles (31 U.S.C. 1343(b)); and services as authorized by 5 
     U.S.C. 3109, at such rates as may be determined by the 
     Commissioner, $1,292,500,000, which shall be available until 
     September 30, 1999: Provided, That under the heading 
     ``Information Systems'' in Public Law 104-208 (110 Stat. 
     3009), the following is deleted: ``of which no less than 
     $130,075,000 shall be available for Tax Systems Modernization 
     (TSM) development and deployment''.


                   information technology investments

       For necessary expenses for the capital asset acquisition of 
     information technology systems, including management and 
     related contractual costs of said acquisition, including 
     contractual costs associated with operations as authorized by 
     5 U.S.C. 3109, $326,000,000, which shall remain available 
     until September 30, 2000: Provided, That none of these funds 
     is available for obligation until September 30, 1998: 
     Provided further, That none of these funds shall be obligated 
     until the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of the 
     Treasury submits to Congress for approval, a plan for 
     expenditure that (1) implements the Internal Revenue 
     Service's Modernization Blueprint submitted to Congress on 
     May 15, 1997; (2) meets the information systems investment 
     guidelines established by the Office of Management and Budget 
     in the fiscal year 1998 budget; (3) has been reviewed and 
     approved by the Internal Revenue Service's Investment Review 
     Board, the Office of Management and Budget, and the 
     Department of the Treasury's Modernization Management Board, 
     and has been reviewed by the General Accounting Office; (4) 
     meets the requirements of the May 15, 1997 Internal Revenue 
     Service's Systems Life Cycle program; and (5) is in 
     compliance with acquisition rules, requirements, guidelines, 
     and systems acquisition management practices of the Federal 
     Government.


          administrative provisions--internal revenue service

       Section 101. Not to exceed 5 percent of any appropriation 
     made available in this Act to the Internal Revenue Service 
     may be transferred to any other Internal Revenue Service 
     appropriation upon the advance approval of the House and 
     Senate Committees on Appropriations.
       Sec. 102. The Internal Revenue Service shall maintain a 
     training program to ensure that Internal Revenue Service 
     employees are trained in taxpayers' rights, in dealing 
     courteously with the taxpayers, and in cross-cultural 
     relations.
       Sec. 103. The funds provided in this Act for the Internal 
     Revenue Service shall be used to provide, as a minimum, the 
     fiscal year 1995 level of service, staffing, and funding for 
     Taxpayer Services.
       Sec. 104. None of the funds appropriated by this title 
     shall be used in connection with the collection of any 
     underpayment of any tax imposed by the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 unless the conduct of officers and employees of the 
     Internal Revenue Service in connection with such collection, 
     including any private sector employees under contract to the 
     Internal Revenue Service, complies with subsection (a) of 
     section 805 (relating to communications in connection with 
     debt collection), and section 806 (relating to harassment or 
     abuse), of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 
     1692.)
       Sec. 105. The Internal Revenue Service shall institute 
     policies and procedures which will safeguard the 
     confidentiality of taxpayer information.

                      United States Secret Service


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the United States Secret Service, 
     including purchase not to exceed 705 vehicles for police-type 
     use, of which 675 shall be for replacement only, and hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles; hire of aircraft; training and 
     assistance requested by State and local governments, which 
     may be provided without reimbursement; services of expert 
     witnesses at such rates as may be determined by the Director; 
     rental of buildings in the District of Columbia, and fencing, 
     lighting, guard booths, and other facilities on private or 
     other property not in Government ownership or control, as may 
     be necessary to perform protective functions; for payment of 
     per diem and/or subsistence allowances to employees where a 
     protective assignment during the actual day or days of the 
     visit of a protectee require an employee to work 16 hours per 
     day or to remain overnight at his or her post of duty; the 
     conducting of and participating in firearms matches; 
     presentation of awards; for travel of Secret Service 
     employees on protective missions without regard to the 
     limitations on such expenditures in this or any other Act if 
     approval is obtained in advance from the House and Senate 
     Committees on Appropriations; for repairs, alterations, and 
     minor construction at the James J. Rowley Secret Service 
     Training Center; for research and development; for making 
     grants to conduct behavioral research in support of 
     protective research and operations; not to exceed $20,000 for 
     official reception and representation expenses; for 
     sponsorship of a conference for the Women in Federal Law 
     Enforcement, to be held during fiscal year 1998; not to 
     exceed $50,000 to provide technical assistance and equipment 
     to foreign law enforcement organizations in counterfeit 
     investigations; for payment in advance for commercial 
     accommodations as may be necessary to perform protective 
     functions; and for uniforms without regard to the general 
     purchase price limitation for the current fiscal year; 
     $555,736,000.


      acquisition, construction, improvement, and related expenses

       For necessary expenses of construction, repair, alteration, 
     and improvement of facilities, $5,775,000, to remain 
     available until expended for the Secret Service's 
     Headquarters Building.

             General Provisions--Department of the Treasury

       Sec. 111. Any obligation or expenditure by the Secretary in 
     connection with law enforcement activities of a Federal 
     agency or a Department of the Treasury law enforcement 
     organization in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 9703(g)(4)(B) from 
     unobligated balances remaining in the Fund on September 30, 
     1998, shall be made in compliance with the reprogramming 
     guidelines contained in the House and Senate reports 
     accompanying this Act.
       Sec. 112. Appropriations to the Treasury Department in this 
     Act shall be available for uniforms or allowances therefor, 
     as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901), including maintenance, 
     repairs, and cleaning; purchase of insurance for official 
     motor vehicles operated in foreign countries; purchase of 
     motor vehicles without regard to the general purchase price 
     limitations for vehicles purchased and used overseas for the 
     current fiscal year; entering into contracts with the 
     Department of State for the furnishing of health and medical 
     services to employees and their dependents serving in foreign 
     countries; and services authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109.
       Sec. 113. The funds provided to the Bureau of Alcohol, 
     Tobacco and Firearms for fiscal year 1998 in this Act for the 
     enforcement of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act shall 
     be expended in a manner so as not to diminish enforcement 
     efforts with respect to section 105 of the Federal Alcohol 
     Administration Act.
       Sec. 114. Not to exceed 2 percent of any appropriations in 
     this Act made available to the Federal Law Enforcement 
     Training Center, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Bureau 
     of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, U.S. Customs Service, and 
     U.S. Secret Service may be transferred between such 
     appropriations upon the advance approval of the

[[Page H7461]]

     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. No transfer 
     may increase or decrease any such appropriation by more than 
     2 percent.
       Sec. 115. Not to exceed 2 percent of any appropriations in 
     this Act made available to the Departmental Offices, Office 
     of Inspector General, Financial Management Service, and 
     Bureau of the Public Debt, may be transferred between such 
     appropriations upon the advance approval of the House and 
     Senate Committees on Appropriations. No transfer may increase 
     or decrease any such appropriation by more than 2 percent.
       Sec. 116. (a) The Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the 
     Department of the Treasury shall not award a contract for 
     Solicitation No. BEP-97-13(TN) or Solicitation No. BEP-96-
     13(TN) until the General Accounting Office (GAO) has 
     completed a comprehensive analysis of the optimum 
     circumstances for government procurement of distinctive 
     currency paper. The GAO shall report its findings to the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than 
     August 1, 1998.
       (b) The contractual term of the distinctive currency paper 
     ``bridge'' contract shall not exceed 24 months, and the 
     contract shall not be effective until the Secretary of the 
     Department of the Treasury certifies that the price under the 
     terms of any ``bridge'' contract is fair and reasonable and 
     that the terms of any ``bridge'' contract are customary and 
     appropriate according to Federal procurement regulations. In 
     addition, the Secretary of the Treasury shall report to the 
     Committees on Appropriations on the price and profit levels 
     of any ``bridge'' contract at the time of certification.
       Sec. 117. The Secretary of the Treasury shall pay from 
     amounts transferred to the ``Departmental Offices'' 
     appropriation, up to $26,034 to reimburse Secret Service 
     personnel for any attorney fees and costs they incurred with 
     respect to investigation by the Department of the Treasury, 
     Inspector General concerning testimony provided to Congress: 
     Provided, That the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay an 
     individual in full upon submission by the individual of 
     documentation verifying the attorney fees and costs: Provided 
     further, That the liability of the United States shall not be 
     inferred from enactment of or payment under this provision: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
     not pay any claim filed under this section that is filed 
     later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act: 
     Provided further, That payment under this provision, when 
     accepted, shall be in full satisfaction of all claims of, or 
     on behalf of, the individual Secret Service agent who was the 
     subject of said investigation.
       Sec. 118. (a)(1) Effective beginning on the date determined 
     under paragraph (2), the compensation and other emoluments 
     attached to the Office of Secretary of the Treasury shall be 
     those that would then apply if Public Law 103-2 (107 Stat. 4; 
     31 U.S.C. 301 note) had never been enacted.
       (2) Paragraph (1) shall become effective on the later of--
       (A) the day after the date on which the individual holding 
     the Office of Secretary of the Treasury on January 1, 1997, 
     ceases to hold that office; or
       (B) the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (3) Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to 
     affect the compensation or emoluments due to any individual 
     in connection with any period preceding the date determined 
     under paragraph (2).
       (b) Subsection (b) of the first section of the public law 
     referred to in subsection (a)(1) of this section shall not 
     apply in the case of any appointment the consent of the 
     Senate to which occurs on or after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act.
       (c) This section shall not be limited (for purposes of 
     determining whether a provision of this section applies or 
     continues to apply) to fiscal year 1998.
       Sec. 119. (a) Requirement of Advance Submission of Treasury 
     Testimony.--During the fiscal year covered by this Act, any 
     officer or employee of the Department of the Treasury who is 
     scheduled to testify before the Committee on Appropriations 
     of the House of Representatives or the Senate, or any of its 
     subcommittees, shall, not less than 7 calendar days 
     (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal legal public 
     holidays) preceding the scheduled date of the testimony, 
     submit to the committee or subcommittee--
       (1) a written statement of the testimony to be presented, 
     regardless of whether such statement is to be submitted for 
     inclusion in the record of the hearing; and
       (2) any other written information to be submitted for 
     inclusion in the record of the hearing.
       (b) Limitation on Treasury Clearance Process.--None of the 
     funds made available in this Act may be used for any 
     clearance process within the Department of the Treasury that 
     could cause a submission beyond the specified time, as 
     officially transmitted by the committee, of--
       (1) any corrections to the transcript copy of testimony 
     given before the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives or the Senate, or any of its subcommittees; 
     or
       (2) any information to be provided in writing in response 
     to an oral or written request by such committee or 
     subcommittee for specific information for inclusion in the 
     record of the hearing.
       (b) Exception.--The time periods established in subsections 
     (a) and (b) shall not apply to any specific testimony, or 
     corrections, if the Secretary of the Treasury--
       (1) determines that special circumstances prevent 
     compliance; and
       (2) submits to the committee or subcommittee involved a 
     written notification of such determination, including the 
     Secretary's estimate of the time periods required for 
     specific testimony, information, or corrections.
       Sec. 120. (a) New Rates of Basic Pay for United States 
     Secret Service Uniformed Division.--Section 501 of the 
     District of Columbia Police and Firemen's Salary Act of 1958, 
     as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 4-416), is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``Interior'' and all 
     that follows through ``Treasury,'' and inserting instead 
     ``Interior'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b)(3);
       (3) in subsection (b)(3) (as redesignated)--
       (A) by striking ``or to officers and members of the United 
     States Secret Service Uniformed Division''; and
       (B) by striking ``subsection (b) and inserting instead 
     ``this subsection'';
       (4) by adding after subsection (b) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(c)(1) The annual rates of basic compensation of officers 
     and members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed 
     Division, serving in classes corresponding or similar to 
     those in the salary schedule in section 101, shall be fixed 
     in accordance with the following schedule of rates:


                                                ``SALARY SCHEDULE                                               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Service Steps                                 
   ``Salary class and title    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   1         2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
``Class 1: Private............   29,215    30,088   31,559   33,009   35,331   37,681   39,128   40,593   42,052
``Class 4: Sergeant...........   39,769    41,747   43,728   45,718   47,715   49,713                           
``Class 5: Lieutenant.........   45,148    47,411   49,663   51,924   54,180                                    
``Class 7: Captain............   52,523    55,155   57,788   60,388                                             
``Class 8: Inspector..........   60,886    63,918   66,977   70,029                                             
``Class 9: Deputy Chief.......   71,433    76,260   81,113   85,950                                             
``Class 10: Assistant Chief...   84,694    90,324   95,967                                                      
``Class 11: Chief of the U.S.                                                                                   
 Secret Service Uniformed                                                                                       
 Division.....................   98,383   104,923                                                               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       ``(2) Effective at the beginning of the first applicable 
     pay period commencing on or after the first day of the month 
     in which an adjustment takes effect under section 5303 of 
     title 5, United States Code (or any subsequent similar 
     provision of law), in the rates of pay under the General 
     Schedule (or any subsequent similar provision of law), in the 
     rates of pay under the General Schedule (or any pay system 
     that may supersede such schedule), the annual rates of basic 
     compensation of officers and members of the United States 
     Secret Service Uniformed Division shall be adjusted by the 
     Secretary of the Treasury by an amount equal to the 
     percentage of such annual rate of pay which corresponds to 
     the overall percentage of the adjustment made in the rates of 
     pay under the General Schedule.
       ``(3) Locality-based comparability payments authorized 
     under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code, shall be 
     applicable to the basic pay under this section. However, 
     locality-based comparability payments may not be paid at a 
     rate which, when added to the rate of basic pay otherwise 
     payable to the officer or member, would cause the total to 
     exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the 
     Executive Schedule.
       ``(4) Pay may not be paid, by reason of any provision of 
     this subsection (disregarding any comparability payment 
     payable under Federal law), at a rate in excess of the rate 
     of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule 
     contained in subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       ``(5) Any reference in any law to the salary schedule in 
     section 101 with respect to officers and members of the 
     United States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the salary schedule in 
     paragraph (1) of this subsection as adjusted in accordance 
     with this subsection.

[[Page H7462]]

       ``(6)(A) Except as otherwise permitted by or under law, no 
     allowance, differential, bonus, award, or other similar cash 
     payment under this title or under title 5, United Stated 
     Code, may be paid to an officer or member of the United 
     States Secret Service Uniformed Division in a calendar year 
     if, or to the extent that, when added to the total basic pay 
     paid or payable to such officer or member for service 
     performed in such calendar year as an officer or member, 
     such payment would cause the total to exceed the annual 
     rate of basic pay payable for level I of the Executive 
     Schedule, as of the end of such calendar year.
       ``(B) This paragraph shall not apply to any payment under 
     the following provisions of title 5, United States Code;
       ``(i) Subchapter III or VII of chapter 55, or section 5596;
       ``(ii) Chapter 57 (other than section 5753, 5754, or 5755); 
     or
       ``(iii) chapter 59 (other than section 5928).
       ``(7)(A) Any amount which is not paid to an officer or 
     member of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division 
     in a calendar year because of the limitation under paragraph 
     (6) shall be paid to such officer or member in a lump sum at 
     the beginning of the following calendar year.
       ``(B) Any amount paid under this paragraph in a calendar 
     year shall be taken into account for purposes of applying the 
     limitations under paragraph (6) with respect to such calendar 
     year.
       ``(8) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe 
     regulations as may be necessary (consistent with section 5582 
     of title 5, United States Code) concerning how a lump-sum 
     payment under paragraph (7) shall be made with respect to any 
     employee who dies before an amount payable to such employee 
     under paragraph (7) is made.''.
       (b) Conversion to New Salary Schedule.--
       (1) Effective on the first day of the first pay period 
     beginning after the date of enactment of this section, the 
     Secretary of the Treasury shall fix the rates of basic pay 
     for members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed 
     Division as follows: Each officer and member receiving basic 
     compensation, immediately prior to the effective date of this 
     section, at one of the scheduled rates in the salary schedule 
     in section 101 of the District of Columbia Police and 
     Firemen's Salary Act of 1958, as adjusted by law and as in 
     effect prior to the effective date of this section, shall be 
     placed in and receive basic compensation at the corresponding 
     scheduled service step of the salary schedule outlined in 
     section 501(c) of such Act as added by subsection (a) of this 
     section; except that (A) the Assistant Chief and the Chief of 
     the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall be 
     placed in and receive basic compensation in salary class 10 
     and salary class 11, respectively, in the appropriate service 
     step in the new salary class in accordance such section 
     501(c), and (B) each member whose position is to be converted 
     to the salary schedule under such section 501(c), and who, 
     prior to the effective date of this section has earned, but 
     has not been credited with, an increase in his or her rate of 
     pay shall be afforded that increase before he or she is 
     placed in the corresponding service step in the salary 
     schedule under such section 501(c).
       (2) Except in the cases of the Assistant Chief and the 
     Chief of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division, 
     the conversion of positions and individuals to appropriate 
     classes of the salary schedule under section 501(c) of the 
     District of Columbia Police and Fireman's Salary Act of 1958 
     (D.C. Code, sec. 4-416(c)), as amended by subsection (a) of 
     this section, and the initial adjustments of rates of basic 
     pay of those positions and individuals, in accordance with 
     paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall not be considered to 
     be transfers or promotions within the meaning of section 304 
     of such Act.
       (3) Each member whose position is converted to the salary 
     schedule under such section 501(c) shall be granted credit 
     for purposes of his or her first service step adjustment 
     under the salary schedule in such section 501(c) for all 
     satisfactory service performed by the member since his or her 
     last increase in basic pay prior to the adjustment under that 
     section.
       (c) Limitation on Pay Period Earnings.--The first section 
     of the Act of August 15, 1950 (64 Stat. 447), as amended 
     (D.C. Code, section 4-1104), is amended--
       (1) in subsection (h), by striking the phrase ``any officer 
     or member'' each place it appears and inserting instead ``an 
     officer or member of the Metropolitan Police force, of the 
     Fire Department of the District of Columbia, or of the 
     United States Park Police'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (h)(3) as subsection (i); 
     and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3)(A) No premium pay provided by this section shall be 
     paid to, and no compensatory time is authorized for, any 
     officer or member of the United States Secret Service 
     Uniformed Division whose rate of basic pay, combined with any 
     applicable locality-based comparability payment, equals or 
     exceeds the lesser of (I) 150 percent of the minimum rate 
     payable for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule (including 
     any applicable locality-based comparability payment under 
     section 5304 of title 5, United States Code or any similar 
     provision of law, and any applicable special rate of pay 
     under section 5305 of title 5, United States Code or any 
     similar provision of law) or (II) the rate payable for level 
     V of the Executive Schedule contained in subchapter II of 
     chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code.
       ``(B) In the case of any officer or member of the United 
     States Secret Service Uniformed Division whose rate of basic 
     pay, combined with any applicable locality-based 
     comparability payment, is less than the lesser of--
       ``(i) 150 percent of the minimum rate payable for grade GS-
     15 of the General Schedule (including any applicable 
     locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 of 
     title 5, United States Code or any similar provision of law, 
     and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 of 
     title 5, United States Code or any similar provision of law); 
     or
       ``(ii) the rate payable for level V of the Executive 
     Schedule contained in subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5, 
     United States Code, such premium pay may be paid only to the 
     extent that such payment would not cause such officer or 
     member's aggregate rate of compensation to exceed such lesser 
     amount with respect to any pay period.''.
       (d) Savings Provision.--On the effective date of this 
     section, any existing special salary rates authorized for 
     members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed 
     Division under section 5305 of title 5, United States Code 
     (or any previous similar provision of law) and any special 
     rates of pay or special pay adjustment under sections 403-405 
     of the Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990, as 
     amended, applicable to members of the United States Secret 
     Service Uniformed Division shall be rendered inapplicable.
       (e) Conforming Amendment.--Sections 405(b)(1) and 405(c)(1) 
     of the Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990 (104 
     Stat. 1466) are hereby repealed.
       (f) Effective Date.--The provisions of this section shall 
     become effective on the first day of the first pay period 
     beginning after the date of enactment.
       Sec. 121. Section 117 of the Treasury, Postal Service, and 
     General Government Appropriations Act, 1997 (as contained in 
     section 101(f) of division A of Public Law 104-208) is hereby 
     repealed.
       Sec. 122. In tax-year 1998, and each tax-year thereafter, 
     the Internal Revenue Service shall pay qualified transmitters 
     who electronically forward and file tax returns (form 1040 
     and related information returns) properly formatted and 
     accepted by the Internal Revenue Service, up to $3.00 per 
     return so filed: Provided, That the transmitter provides the 
     necessary electronic filing service without charge to the 
     taxpayer whose return is so filed: Provided further, That in 
     those instances where the transmitter receives a tax return 
     from an electronic return originator (ERO) and/or a paid 
     preparer, the transmitter may only accept the payment from 
     the Internal Revenue Service if the ERO and/or the paid 
     preparer has certified to the Internal Revenue Service that 
     no fee was charged to the taxpayer for electronic filing of 
     the return: Provided further, That the Internal Revenue 
     Service shall reduce its paper returns processing seasonal 
     workforce commensurate with any increase in electronic filing 
     resulting from this initiative.
       Sec. 123. Subsection (a) of section 5378, title 5 U.S.C., 
     is amended to read as follows:
       ``(a) The Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, or 
     his designee, shall fix the rates of basic pay for positions 
     within the police forces of the United States Mint and the 
     Bureau of Engraving and Printing without regard to the 
     provisions of title 5, United States Code, except that no 
     entry-level police officer shall receive basic pay for a 
     calendar year that is less than the basic rate of pay for 
     General Schedule GS-7 and no executive security official 
     shall receive basic compensation for a calendar year that 
     exceeds the basic rate of pay for General Schedule GS-15.''
       Sec. 124. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     paragraph (3)(A) of section 9703(g) of title 31, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``1996, and 1997'';
       (2) by inserting in lieu thereof ``and 1996''; and
       (3) by adding at the end of the first sentence of (3)(A) 
     the following new sentence: ``No further transfers from the 
     Treasury Forfeiture Fund will be made to the Special 
     Forfeiture Fund after those amounts transferred from excess 
     unobligated balances at the end of fiscal year 1996.''
       (b) Paragraph (3)(C) of section 9703(g) of title 31, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by adding after the last sentence of that paragraph as 
     amended by Public Law 104-208, the following sentence: 
     ``Unobligated balances remaining pursuant to section 4(B) of 
     9703(g) shall also be carried forward.''
       (c) Paragraph (4)(B) of section 9703(g) of title 31, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``, subject to subparagraph (C),'' from the 
     first and only sentence of that paragraph.
       This title may be cited as the ``Treasury Department, 
     Appropriations Act, 1998''.

                        TITLE II--POSTAL SERVICE

                  Payments to the Postal Service Fund


         payment to the postal service fund for revenue forgone

       For payment to the Postal Service Fund for revenue forgone 
     on free and reduced rate mail, pursuant to subsections (c) 
     and (d) of section 2401 of title 39, United States Code, 
     $86,274,000: Provided, That mail for overseas voting and mail 
     for the blind shall continue

[[Page H7463]]

     to be free: Provided further, That 6-day delivery and rural 
     delivery of mail shall continue at not less than the 1983 
     level: Provided further, That none of the funds made 
     available to the Postal Service by this Act shall be used to 
     implement any rule, regulation, or policy of charging any 
     officer or employee of any State or local child support 
     enforcement agency, or any individual participating in a 
     State or local program of child support enforcement, a fee 
     for information requested or provided concerning an address 
     of a postal customer: Provided further, That none of the 
     funds provided in this Act shall be used to consolidate or 
     close small rural and other small post offices in the fiscal 
     year ending on September 30, 1998.


      payment to the postal service fund for nonfunded liabilities

       For payment to the Postal Service Fund for meeting the 
     liabilities of the former Post Office Department to the 
     Employees' Compensation Fund pursuant to 39 United States 
     Code 2004, $34,850,000.
       This title may be cited as the ``Postal Service 
     Appropriations Act, 1998''.

TITLE III--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO 
                             THE PRESIDENT

        Compensation of the President and the White House Office


                     compensation of the president

       For compensation of the President, including an expense 
     allowance at the rate of $50,000 per annum as authorized by 3 
     U.S.C. 102; $250,000: Provided, That none of the funds made 
     available for official expenses shall be expended for any 
     other purpose and any unused amount shall revert to the 
     Treasury pursuant to section 1552 of title 31, United States 
     Code: Provided further, That none of the funds made available 
     for official expenses shall be considered as taxable to the 
     President.


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses for the White House as authorized by 
     law, including not to exceed $3,850,000 for services as 
     authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109 and 3 U.S.C. 105; including 
     subsistence expenses as authorized by 3 U.S.C. 105, which 
     shall be expended and accounted for as provided in that 
     section; hire of passenger motor vehicles, newspapers, 
     periodicals, teletype news service, and travel (not to exceed 
     $100,000 to be expended and accounted for as provided by 3 
     U.S.C. 103); not to exceed $19,000 for official entertainment 
     expenses, to be available for allocation within the Executive 
     Office of the President; $51,199,000: Provided, That $873,000 
     of the funds appropriated may not be obligated until the 
     Director of the Office of Administration has submitted, and 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate have 
     approved, a systems architecture plan, a milestone schedule 
     for the development and implementation of all projects 
     included in the systems architecture plan, and an estimate of 
     the funds required to support the fiscal year 1998 capital 
     investments associated with that plan: Provided further, That 
     $9,800,000 of the funds appropriated shall be available for 
     reimbursements to the White House Communications Agency.

                 EXECUTIVE RESIDENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

                           Operating Expenses

       For the care, maintenance, repair and alteration, 
     refurnishing, improvement, heating and lighting, including 
     electric power and fixtures, of the Executive Residence at 
     the White House and official entertainment expenses of the 
     President, $8,045,000, to be expended and accounted for as 
     provided by 3 U.S.C. 105, 109-110, 112-114.

                         reimbursable expenses

       For the reimbursable expenses of the Executive Residence at 
     the White House, such sums as may be necessary: Provided, 
     That all reimbursable operating expenses of the Executive 
     Residence shall be made in accordance with the provisions of 
     this paragraph: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, such amount for reimbursable 
     operating expenses shall be the exclusive authority of the 
     Executive Residence to incur obligations and to receive 
     offsetting collections, for such expenses: Provided further, 
     That the Executive Residence shall require each person 
     sponsoring a reimbursable political event to pay in advance 
     an amount equal to the estimated cost of the event, and all 
     such advance payments shall be credited to this account and 
     remain available until expended: Provided further, That the 
     Executive Residence shall require the national committee of 
     the political party of the President to maintain on deposit 
     $25,000, to be separately accounted for and available for 
     expenses relating to reimbursable political events sponsored 
     by such committee during such fiscal year: Provided further, 
     That the Executive Residence shall ensure that a written 
     notice of any amount owed for a reimbursable operating 
     expense under this paragraph is submitted to the person owing 
     such amount within 60 days after such expense is incurred, 
     and that such amount is collected within 30 days after the 
     submission of such notice: Provided further, That the 
     Executive Residence shall charge interest and assess 
     penalties and other charges on any such amount that is not 
     reimbursed within such 30 days, in accordance with the 
     interest and penalty provisions applicable to an outstanding 
     debt on a United States Government claim under section 3717 
     of title 31, United States Code: Provided further, That each 
     such amount that is reimbursed, and any accompanying interest 
     and charges, shall be deposited in the Treasury as 
     miscellaneous receipts: Provided further, That the Executive 
     Residence shall prepare and submit to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Senate, by not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal 
     year covered by this Act, a report setting forth the 
     reimbursable operating expenses of the Executive Residence 
     during the preceding fiscal year, including the total amount 
     of such expenses, the amount of such total that consists of 
     reimbursable official and ceremonial events, the amount of 
     such total that consists of reimbursable political events, 
     and the portion of each such amount that has been reimbursed 
     as of the date of the report: Provided further, That the 
     Executive Residence shall (1) implement a system for the 
     tracking of expenses related to reimbursable events within 
     the Executive Residence that includes a standard for the 
     classification of any such expense as political or 
     nonpolitical; and (2) prepare and submit to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Senate, by not later than December 1, 1997, a report setting 
     forth a detailed description of such system and a schedule 
     for its implementation: Provided further, That no provision 
     of this paragraph may be construed to exempt the Executive 
     Residence from any other applicable requirement of subchapter 
     I or II of chapter 37 of title 31, United States Code.

                   White House Repair and Restoration

       For the repair, alteration, and improvement of the 
     Executive Residence at the White House, $200,000, to remain 
     available until expended for renovation and relocation of the 
     White House laundry, to be expended and accounted for as 
     provided by 3 U.S.C. 105, 109-110, 112-114.

 Special Assistance to the President and the Official Residence of the 
                             Vice President


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses to enable the Vice President to 
     provide assistance to the President in connection with 
     specially assigned functions, services as authorized by 5 
     U.S.C. 3109 and 3 U.S.C. 106, including subsistence expenses 
     as authorized by 3 U.S.C. 106, which shall be expended and 
     accounted for as provided in that section; and hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles; $3,378,000: Provided, That $69,800 
     of the funds appropriated may not be obligated until the 
     Director of the Office of Administration has submitted, and 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate have 
     approved, a systems architecture plan, a milestone schedule 
     for the development and implementation of all projects 
     included in the systems architecture plan, and an estimate of 
     the funds required to support the fiscal year 1998 capital 
     investments associated with that plan.


                           operating expenses

       For the care, operation, refurnishing, improvement, heating 
     and lighting, including electric power and fixtures, of the 
     official residence of the Vice President, the hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles, and not to exceed $90,000 for 
     official entertainment expenses of the Vice President, to be 
     accounted for solely on his certificate; $334,000: Provided, 
     That advances or repayments or transfers from this 
     appropriation may be made to any department or agency for 
     expenses of carrying out such activities.

                      Council of Economic Advisers


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Council in carrying out its 
     functions under the Employment Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1021), 
     $3,542,000.

                      Office of Policy Development


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Policy Development, 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, and 3 
     U.S.C. 107; $3,983,000: Provided, That $30,000 of the funds 
     appropriated may not be obligated until the Director of the 
     Office of Administration has submitted, and the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House and Senate have approved, a 
     systems architecture plan, a milestone schedule for the 
     development and implementation of all projects included in 
     the system architecture plan, and an estimate of the funds 
     required to support the fiscal year 1998 capital investments 
     associated with that plan.

                       National Security Council


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the National Security Council, 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, 
     $6,648,000.

                        Office of Administration


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Administration, 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109 and 3 
     U.S.C. 107, and hire of passenger motor vehicles $28,883,000, 
     of which $2,000,000 shall remain available until expended for 
     a capital investment plan which provides for the 
     modernization of the information technology infrastructure: 
     Provided, That $2,023,000 of the funds appropriated may not 
     be obligated until the Director of the Office of 
     Administration has submitted, and the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House and Senate have approved, a 
     systems architecture plan, a milestone schedule for the 
     development and implementation of all projects included in 
     the system architecture plan, and an estimate of the funds 
     required to support the fiscal year 1998

[[Page H7464]]

     capital investments associated with that plan.

                    Office of Management and Budget


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Management and 
     Budget, including hire of passenger motor vehicles, services 
     as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, $57,240,000, of which not to 
     exceed $5,000,000 shall be available to carry out the 
     provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapter 35: Provided, That, as 
     provided in 31 U.S.C. 1301(a), appropriations shall be 
     applied only to the objects for which appropriations were 
     made except as otherwise provided by law: Provided further, 
     That none of the funds appropriated in this Act for the 
     Office of Management and Budget may be used for the purpose 
     of reviewing any agricultural marketing orders or any 
     activities or regulations under the provisions of the 
     Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (7 U.S.C. 601 et 
     seq.): Provided further, That none of the funds made 
     available for the Office of Management and Budget by this Act 
     may be expended for the altering of the transcript of actual 
     testimony of witnesses, except for testimony of officials of 
     the Office of Management and Budget, before the House and 
     Senate Committees on Appropriations or the House and Senate 
     Committees on Veterans' Affairs or their subcommittees: 
     Provided further, That this proviso shall not apply to 
     printed hearings released by the House and Senate Committees 
     on Appropriations or the House and Senate Committees on 
     Veterans' Affairs.

                 Office of National Drug Control Policy


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Office of National Drug 
     Control Policy; for research activities pursuant to title I 
     of Public Law 100-690; not to exceed $8,000 for official 
     reception and representation expenses; and for participation 
     in joint projects or in the provision of services on matters 
     of mutual interest with nonprofit, research, or public 
     organizations or agencies, with or without reimbursement; 
     $43,516,000, of which $25,500,000 shall remain available 
     until expended, consisting of $1,000,000 for policy research 
     and evaluation and $24,500,000 for the Counter-Drug 
     Technology Assessment Center for counternarcotics research 
     and development projects of which $1,000,000 shall be 
     obligated for state conferences on model State drug laws and 
     of which $7,500,000 shall be available for a program to 
     transfer technology to State and local law enforcement 
     agencies: Provided, That the $24,500,000 for the Counter-Drug 
     Technology Assessment Center shall be available for transfer 
     to other Federal departments or agencies: Provided further, 
     That the Office is authorized to accept, hold, administer, 
     and utilize gifts, both real and personal, for the purpose of 
     aiding or facilitating the work of the Office.

                     Federal Drug Control Programs


             high intensity drug trafficking areas program

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Office of National Drug 
     Control Policy's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas 
     Program, $146,207,000 for drug control activities consistent 
     with the approved strategy for each of the designated High 
     Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, of which $5,000,000 shall 
     be used for a newly designated High Intensity Drug 
     Trafficking Area in the three State area of Kentucky, 
     Tennessee, and West Virginia; of which $1,000,000 shall be 
     used for a newly designated High Intensity Drug Trafficking 
     Area in central Florida; of which no less than $77,000,000 
     shall be transferred to State and local entities for drug 
     control activities, which shall be obligated within 120 days 
     of the date of enactment of this Act and up to $69,207,000 
     may be transferred to Federal agencies and departments at a 
     rate to be determined by the Director: Provided, That funding 
     shall be provided for existing High Intensity Drug 
     Trafficking Areas at no less than the fiscal year 1997 level.


                        special forfeiture fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For activities to support a national anti-drug campaign for 
     youth, and other purposes, as authorized by Public Law 100-
     690, as amended, $205,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That such funds may be transferred to 
     other Federal departments and agencies to carry out such 
     activities: Provided further, That of the amount provided, 
     $195,000,000 shall be to support a national media campaign, 
     to reduce and prevent drug use among young Americans: 
     Provided further, That none of the funds provided for the 
     support of a national media campaign may be obligated until 
     the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, submits 
     a strategy for approval to the Committees on Appropriations 
     of the House of Representatives and the Senate that includes 
     (1) a certification that funds will supplement and not 
     supplant current anti-drug community based coalitions; (2) a 
     certification that none of the funds will be used for 
     partisan political purposes; (3) an implementation plan for 
     securing private sector contributions including, but not 
     limited to, in-kind contributions; and (4) a system to 
     measure outcomes of success of the national media campaign: 
     Provided further, That of the funds provided for the support 
     of a national media campaign, $46,000,000 shall not be 
     obligated prior to September 30, 1998: Provided further, That 
     of the amount provided, $10,000,000 shall be to initiate a 
     program of matching grants to drug-free communities, as 
     authorized in the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997.
       This title may be cited as the ``Executive Office 
     Appropriations Act, 1998''.

                     TITLE IV--INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

 Committee for Purchase From People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Committee for Purchase From 
     People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled established by the 
     Act of June 23, 1971, Public Law 92-28, $1,940,000.

                      Federal Election Commission


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the 
     Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, 
     $30,350,000, of which no less than $2,500,000 shall be 
     available for internal automated data processing systems, and 
     of which not to exceed $5,000 shall be available for 
     reception and representation expenses: Provided, That of the 
     amounts appropriated for salaries and expenses, $750,000 
     shall be transferred to the General Accounting Office for the 
     sole purpose of entering into a contract with the private 
     sector for a management review, and technology and 
     performance audit, of the Federal Election Commission, and 
     $300,000 may be transferred to the Government Printing 
     Office.

                   Federal Labor Relations Authority


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses to carry out functions of the 
     Federal Labor Relations Authority, pursuant to Reorganization 
     Plan Numbered 2 of 1978, and the Civil Service Reform Act of 
     1978, including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, 
     including hire of experts and consultants, hire of passenger 
     motor vehicles, rental of conference rooms in the District of 
     Columbia and elsewhere; $21,803,000: Provided, That public 
     members of the Federal Service Impasses Panel may be paid 
     travel expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence as 
     authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5703) for persons employed 
     intermittently in the Government service, and compensation as 
     authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, funds received from fees 
     charged to non-Federal participants at labor-management 
     relations conferences shall be credited to and merged with 
     this account, to be available without further appropriation 
     for the costs of carrying out these conferences.

                    General Services Administration


                         federal buildings fund

                 limitations on availability of revenue

       The revenues and collections deposited into the Fund shall 
     be available for necessary expenses of real property 
     management and related activities not otherwise provided for, 
     including operation, maintenance, and protection of federally 
     owned and leased buildings; rental of buildings in the 
     District of Columbia; restoration of leased premises; moving 
     governmental agencies (including space adjustments and 
     telecommunications relocation expenses) in connection with 
     the assignment, allocation and transfer of space; contractual 
     services incident to cleaning or servicing buildings, and 
     moving; repair and alteration of federally owned buildings 
     including grounds, approaches and appurtenances; care and 
     safeguarding of sites; maintenance, preservation, demolition, 
     and equipment; acquisition of buildings and sites by 
     purchase, condemnation, or as otherwise authorized by law; 
     acquisition of options to purchase buildings and sites; 
     conversion and extension of federally owned buildings; 
     preliminary planning and design of projects by contract or 
     otherwise; construction of new buildings (including equipment 
     for such buildings); and payment of principal, interest, and 
     any other obligations for public buildings acquired by 
     installment purchase and purchase contract, in the aggregate 
     amount of $4,835,934,000, of which (1) $300,000,000 shall 
     remain available until expended, for Basic Repairs and 
     Alterations which includes associated design and construction 
     services: Provided, That additional projects for which 
     prospectuses have been fully approved may be funded under 
     this category only if advance approval is obtained from the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate: 
     Provided further, That the amounts provided in this or any 
     prior Act for Repairs and Alterations may be used to fund 
     costs associated with implementing security improvements to 
     buildings necessary to meet the standards for security in 
     accordance with current law and in compliance with the 
     reprogramming guidelines of the appropriate Committees of the 
     House and Senate: Provided further, That funds made available 
     in this Act or any previous Act for Repairs and Alterations 
     shall, for prospectus projects, be limited to the amount 
     originally made available, except each project may be 
     increased by an amount not to exceed 10 percent when advance 
     approval is obtained from the Committees on Appropriations of 
     the House and Senate of a greater amount: Provided further, 
     That the difference between the funds appropriated and 
     expended on any projects in this or any prior Act, under the 
     heading ``Repairs and Alterations'', may be transferred to 
     Basic Repairs and Alterations or used to fund authorized 
     increases in prospectus projects: Provided further, That the 
     amount provided in this or any prior Act for Basic Repairs 
     and Alterations may be used to pay claims against the 
     Government arising from any

[[Page H7465]]

     projects under the heading ``Repairs and Alterations'' or 
     used to fund authorized increases in prospectus projects; (2) 
     $142,542,000 for installment acquisition payments including 
     payments on purchase contracts which shall remain available 
     until expended; (3) $3,607,129,000, to remain available until 
     expended, for building operations, leasing activities, and 
     rental of space; and (4) $680,543,000 which shall remain 
     available until expended for projects and activities 
     previously requested and approved under this heading in prior 
     fiscal years: Provided further, That for the purposes of this 
     authorization, and hereafter, buildings constructed pursuant 
     to the purchase contract authority of the Public Buildings 
     Amendments of 1972 (40 U.S.C. 602a), buildings occupied 
     pursuant to installment purchase contracts, and buildings 
     under the control of another department or agency where 
     alterations of such buildings are required in connection with 
     the moving of such other department or agency from buildings 
     then, or thereafter to be, under the control of the General 
     Services Administration shall be considered to be federally 
     owned buildings: Provided further, That funds available in 
     the Federal Buildings Fund may be expended for emergency 
     repairs when advance approval is obtained from the Committees 
     on Appropriations of the House and Senate: Provided further, 
     That amounts necessary to provide reimbursable special 
     services to other agencies under section 210(f)(6) of the 
     Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as 
     amended (40 U.S.C. 490(f)(6)) and amounts to provide such 
     reimbursable fencing, lighting, guard booths, and other 
     facilities on private or other property not in Government 
     ownership or control as may be appropriate to enable the 
     United States Secret Service to perform its protective 
     functions pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3056, as amended, shall be 
     available from such revenues and collections: Provided 
     further, That revenues and collections and any other sums 
     accruing to this Fund during fiscal year 1998, excluding 
     reimbursements under section 210(f)(6) of the Federal 
     Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 
     490(f)(6)) in excess of $4,835,934,000 shall remain in the 
     Fund and shall not be available for expenditure except as 
     authorized in appropriations Acts.


                         policy and operations

       For expenses authorized by law, not otherwise provided for, 
     for Government-wide policy and oversight activities 
     associated with asset management activities; utilization and 
     donation of surplus personal property; transportation; 
     procurement and supply; Government-wide and internal 
     responsibilities relating to automated data management, 
     telecommunications, information resources management, and 
     related technology activities; utilization survey, deed 
     compliance inspection, appraisal, environmental and cultural 
     analysis, and land use planning functions pertaining to 
     excess and surplus real property; agency-wide policy 
     direction; Board of Contract Appeals; accounting, records 
     management, and other support services incident to 
     adjudication of Indian Tribal Claims by the United States 
     Court of Federal Claims; services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 
     3109; and not to exceed $5,000 for official reception and 
     representation expenses; $107,487,000.


                      office of inspector general

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     and services authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, $33,870,000: 
     Provided, That not to exceed $10,000 shall be available for 
     payment for information and detection of fraud against the 
     Government, including payment for recovery of stolen 
     Government property: Provided further, That not to exceed 
     $2,500 shall be available for awards to employees of other 
     Federal agencies and private citizens in recognition of 
     efforts and initiatives resulting in enhanced Office of 
     Inspector General effectiveness.


           allowances and office staff for former presidents

       For carrying out the provisions of the Act of August 25, 
     1958, as amended (3 U.S.C. 102 note), and Public Law 95-138, 
     $2,208,000: Provided, That the Administrator of General 
     Services shall transfer to the Secretary of the Treasury such 
     sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of such 
     Acts.

          General Services Administration--General Provisions

       Sec. 401. The appropriate appropriation or fund available 
     to the General Services Administration shall be credited with 
     the cost of operation, protection, maintenance, upkeep, 
     repair, and improvement, included as part of rentals received 
     from Government corporations pursuant to law (40 U.S.C. 129).
       Sec. 402. Funds available to the General Services 
     Administration shall be available for the hire of passenger 
     motor vehicles.
       Sec. 403. Funds in the Federal Buildings Fund made 
     available for fiscal year 1998 for Federal Buildings Fund 
     activities may be transferred between such activities only to 
     the extent necessary to meet program requirements: Provided, 
     That any proposed transfers shall be approved in advance by 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate.
       Sec. 404. No funds made available by this Act shall be used 
     to transmit a fiscal year 1999 request for United States 
     Courthouse construction that (1) does not meet the design 
     guide standards for construction as established and approved 
     by the General Services Administration, the Judicial 
     Conference of the United States, and the Office of Management 
     and Budget; and (2) does not reflect the priorities of the 
     Judicial Conference of the United States as set out in its 
     approved 5-year construction plan: Provided, That the fiscal 
     year 1999 request must be accompanied by a standardized 
     courtroom utilization study of each facility to be 
     constructed, replaced, or expanded.
       Sec. 405. None of the funds provided in this Act may be 
     used to increase the amount of occupiable square feet, 
     provide cleaning services, security enhancements, or any 
     other service usually provided through the Federal Buildings 
     Fund, to any agency which does not pay the rate per square 
     foot assessment for space and services as determined by the 
     General Services Administration in compliance with the Public 
     Buildings Amendments Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-313).
       Sec. 406. Section 10 of the General Services Administration 
     General Provisions, Public Law 100-440, is hereby repealed.
       Sec. 407. Funds provided to other Government agencies by 
     the Information Technology Fund, GSA, under 40 U.S.C. 757 and 
     sections 5124(b) and 5128 of Public Law 104-106, Information 
     Technology Management Reform Act of 1996, for performance of 
     pilot information technology projects which have potential 
     for Government-wide benefits and savings, may be repaid to 
     this Fund from any savings actually incurred by these 
     projects or other funding, to the extent feasible.
       Sec. 408. The Administrator of the General Services is 
     directed to ensure that the materials used for the facade on 
     the United States Courthouse Annex, Savannah, Georgia project 
     are compatible with the existing Savannah Federal Building-
     U.S. Courthouse facade, in order to ensure compatibility of 
     this new facility with the Savannah historic district and to 
     ensure that the Annex will not endanger the National Landmark 
     status of the Savannah historic district.
       Sec. 409. (a) The Act entitled ``An Act to provide 
     retirement, clerical assistants, and free mailing privileges 
     to former Presidents of the United States, and for other 
     purposes'', approved August 25, 1958 (3 U.S.C. 102 note), is 
     amended by striking section 2.
       (b) Section 3214 of title 39, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``(a) Subject to 
     subsection (b), a'' and inserting ``A''; and
       (2) by striking subsection (b).
       Sec. 410. There is hereby appropriated to the General 
     Services Administration such sums as may be necessary to 
     repay debts to the United States Treasury incurred pursuant 
     to section 6 of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development 
     Corporation Act of 1972, as amended (Public Law 92-578, 86 
     Stat. 1266, 40 U.S.C. 875), and in addition such amounts as 
     are necessary for payment of interest and premiums, if any, 
     related to such debts.
       Sec. 411. From funds made available under the heading 
     ``Federal Buildings Fund Limitations on Revenue,'' claims 
     against the Government of less than $250,000 arising from 
     direct construction projects and acquisition of buildings may 
     be liquidated from savings effected in other construction 
     projects with prior notification to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House and Senate.
       Sec. 412. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the Administrator of General Services shall 
     sell the property described in subsection (b) through a 
     process of competitive bidding, in accordance with procedures 
     and requirements applicable to such a sale under section 
     203(e) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services 
     Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 484(e)).
       (b) Property Described.--The property referred to in 
     subsection (a) is the property known as the Bakersfield 
     Federal Building, located at 800 Truxton Avenue in 
     Bakersfield, California, including the land on which the 
     building is situated and all improvements to such building 
     and land.

  Mr. KOLBE (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent 
that the bill through page 65, line 11, be considered as read, printed 
in the Record, and open to amendment at any point.
  The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there any points of order to that 
portion of the bill through page 65 line 11?


                             Point of Order

  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against an item 
within the bill found on page 15, line 7 through 11, on the ground that 
it violates clause 2(b) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Will the gentleman identify the proviso 
that begins on line 7.
  Mr. COLLINS. On page 15, line 7 through 11.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
the point of order?
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, we would concede to the point of order that 
the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Collins] has raised.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I concede the point of order.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The point of order is conceded and 
sustained. The proviso that begins on line 7 is stricken from the bill.

[[Page H7466]]

  Are there any further points of order against that portion of the 
bill through page 65, line 11?
  Are there any amendments to that portion of the bill?


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Blagojevich

  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Has the gentleman from Illinois supplied 
the desk with the amendment?
  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. Yes. We have plenty of copies.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I would reserve a point of order, not being 
sure which amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The point of order is reserved.
  The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Blagojevich:
       Page 5, line 6, after the first dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 12, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.

  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief.
  The amendment that I am sponsoring today with my colleague, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Meehan], is simple and 
straightforward. Our amendment will appropriate $1 million in the 
Treasury-Postal appropriations bill to be used to expand the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative, 
an initiative which works with local law enforcement officials to trace 
the source of illegal guns found in the possession of juvenile 
criminals.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his amendment. And 
on our behalf, we would certainly accept the amendment.
  I yield back to the gentleman.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my reservation of a point of 
order, and I accept the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Blagojevich]. But I would like to note that I do have concerns about 
other high priorities in this bill that are not being met at this time.
  The amendment would rescind, as the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Blagojevich] has pointed out, the $1 million funding for the Inspector 
General of the Treasury and place that money in the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco and Firearms for funding of the youth programs. And I would 
accept that amendment.
  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. I thank the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe], and 
again, I want to thank the ranking member.
  Before yielding back the balance of my time, I would simply close by 
saying that both the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Kolbe], the chairman, 
and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] are great Members worth 
emulating; and since they were complimentary to their staffs, I would 
like to thank my staffer, Deanne Benos, for her work, as well as the 
staffer of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Meehan], Glen. I do 
not know his last name. I only met him 7 minutes ago. But he seemed to 
be very devoted and diligent, and I want to thank Glen for his help, as 
well.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to urge support for an amendment I am offering 
in conjunction with Mr. Meehan to increase funding for the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative 
by $1 million. This successful program has proven to be an effective 
blueprint for local law enforcement in shutting the doors of the black 
market of illegal guns that supplies juvenile criminals.
  Crimes committed with increasingly accessible available guns account 
almost entirely for the terrible surge of violent crime by youths that 
the Nation has experienced over the past decade. In my hometown of 
Chicago, where 15,000 to 20,000 crime guns are confiscated by police 
each year, the plague of gun violence has become the leading cause of 
death for teenagers, and individuals too young to purchase handguns 
legally, commit the largest number of firearm homicides than any other 
age group.
  As a matter of fact, gun crime is virtually the only type of juvenile 
crime that is on the rise in our Nation. While juvenile arrests for 
homicides with guns have quadrupled, arrests for most crimes without 
guns haven't risen since 1984.
  Now more than ever, law enforcement officials need to get to the 
source of these guns. We are learning that combating juvenile crime 
goes beyond simply apprehending the culprit. There are deeper layers to 
this problem that must be examined: Most notably, cutting off the 
illegal flow of these weapons to young criminals and gang members 
through both black markets and the iron pipeline that supplies guns to 
criminals in States with tough guns laws from States with weaker gun 
laws.
  For the past year, the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative has 
created partnerships in 17 cities throughout our Nation to trace guns 
used in juvenile crimes. In the program's first year, 37,000 crime guns 
were traced back to their sources. On many occasions, this information 
has led to the arrest of individuals who supply guns to young people--
young people who later use them to commit violent crimes.
  By expanding the volume of tracing, participating cities have not 
only provided data needed to identify community crime patterns, but 
have contributed important analyses that can be useful in deciding how 
best to focus investigative resources to reduce the illegal firearms 
supply that has had such a devastating effect on our Nation's youth.
  Studies from the program have also led us to some startling, yet 
helpful information that is leading local law enforcement officials in 
communities across our Nation to decide how best to focus investigative 
resources to reduce the illegal firearms supply used in violent crime.
  As a representative of the city of Chicago, I look forward to the 
expansion of this successful program, which will give our law 
enforcement officials more tools to stop violent juvenile crime I urge 
adoption of the amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Blagojevich].
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there further amendments to the portion 
of the bill read through page 65, line 11?


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Sununu

  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Will the gentleman supply the Clerk with a 
copy of the amendment.
  Mr. HOYER. Reserving a point of order, Mr. Chairman, I do not have 
the amendment in front of me.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. A point of order is reserved.
  The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Sununu: 
       Page 50, line 7, after ``chapter 35'' insert the following: 
     ``including $200,000 to be used under those provisions to 
     coordinate implementation of chapter 8 of title 5, United 
     States Code (popularly known as the Congressional Review 
     Act)''.

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SUNUNU. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman is amenable to this, we 
quickly reviewed the amendment. We believe if his staff indicates that 
there may be flex, because this is a very small number, that we would 
not object to this amendment.
  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that the gentleman will accept 
the amendment, and I will yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Maryland withdraw 
his reservation of a point of order?
  Mr. HOYER. Yes, sir, I do.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I also accept the amendment. I would like to 
reserve the option to review the resource requirements that OMB has 
when this bill proceeds to conference with the Senate. I realize it 
does not create any new money, but it earmarks money within the OMB.
  What the gentleman from New Hampshire [Mr. Sununu] is trying to do I 
think is correct, to provide for efficient implementation of the 
Congressional Review Act, but I would simply like to review this issue 
when it does get to conference. But I would accept the amendment of the 
gentleman from New Hampshire.
  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield, I thank him 
very much. Just to emphasize that point, this allocates $200,000 of the 
$5 million reserved for administrative cost at

[[Page H7467]]

OMB to implement an important piece of the legislation, the 
Congressional Review Act, that was passed as part of the 104th Congress 
to try to ensure proper congressional oversight on new rules and 
regulations that have a tremendous effect on small business.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Hampshire [Mr. Sununu].
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there further amendments to this 
portion of the bill as read?
  If not, the Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 413. Section 201(b) of the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 481) as 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(b) The Administrator shall as far as practicable provide 
     any of the services specified in subsection (a) of this 
     section to any other Federal agency, mixed ownership 
     corporation (as defined in chapter 91 of title 31, United 
     States Code), or the District of Columbia, upon its 
     request.''.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against 
language on page 65, lines 12 through 20, because it proposes to change 
existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and 
therefore violates clause 2 of rule XXI.
  The rule states, in pertinent part, that ``no amendment to a general 
appropriation bill shall be in order if changing existing law.''
  The amendment modifies existing powers and duties and changes 
existing law. I would ask for a ruling from the Chair.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentlewoman from Kentucky [Ms. 
Northup] desire to be heard on the point of order?
  Ms. NORTHUP. Mr. Chairman, regarding the point of order, I understand 
that this probably will be considered legislating on appropriations, to 
be subject to the point of order. However, I want to reserve my right 
to strike the last word and speak to the merits of it when this is 
concluded.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member desire to be heard on 
the point of order?
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, we concede the point of order.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, we also concede the point of order. This was 
a spirited debate in our subcommittee and full committee, but it is 
clearly, given the fact of the circumstances under which this bill has 
been brought to the floor, it is legislation on an appropriation and 
clearly would not be protected as a result of that.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
the point of order?
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I would ask be heard on the 
point of order. I will not take but a few seconds.
  As the Chair and ranking member have said, this was fully debated in 
the full committee consideration. It clearly is legislation on an 
appropriation bill. It belongs in government operations. It does not 
belong on an appropriations bill. I personally think the Cooperative 
Purchasing Agreement is a good government measure. I am glad that it is 
in this bill, and it certainly does not deserve to be taken out by an 
amendment that is not in order for debate.
  So I strongly support the point of order having been raised, and I 
thank the chairman for his attention.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
the point of order?
  If not, the point of order is conceded and sustained and section 413 
is stricken from the bill.
  Ms. NORTHUP. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, recognizing that the provisions of the Cooperative 
Purchasing Agreement have been struck, I do want to bring to the 
attention of the House that the language that was struck was passed in 
its entirety by the Senate and that that language was also voted by the 
Committee on Appropriations to be included in this bill.
  So while it has been struck on the technical provisions, I do think 
that the intent and the interest and the perspective of the Committee 
on Appropriations, the entire committee in the House and the Senate, 
are clear on this issue. And so I look forward in the conference 
committee to look at this again and to see if we cannot resolve the 
questions that divide us.
  In particular, I want to bring up that the blind community is very 
concerned about the fact that the complete repeal repealed provisions 
that have allowed them for many years, under other statutes, to engage 
in certain business arrangements with the Federal Government and local 
and State governments.
  While I understand that they support the repeal with regard to State 
and local governments, they do have concerns about their continued 
operations of the supply depots. I think it is very important, when we 
iron out these substantive problems that we have, that we make sure 
that we do not do anything that would upset the existing arrangement 
with that community.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

   Federal Payment to Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in 
                National Environmental Policy Foundation

       For payment to the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and 
     Excellence in National Environmental Trust Fund, to be 
     available for purposes of Public Law 102-259, $2,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

           John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board

       For the necessary expenses to carry out the John F. Kennedy 
     Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, $1,600,000: 
     Provided, That $100,000 shall be available only for the 
     purposes of the prompt and orderly termination of the John F. 
     Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board, to be concluded 
     no later than September 30, 1998.

                     Merit Systems Protection Board


                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out functions of the Merit 
     Systems Protection Board pursuant to Reorganization Plan 
     Numbered 2 of 1978 and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, rental of 
     conference rooms in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, 
     hire of passenger motor vehicles, and direct procurement of 
     survey printing, $25,290,000, together with not to exceed 
     $2,430,000 for administrative expenses to adjudicate 
     retirement appeals to be transferred from the Civil Service 
     Retirement and Disability Fund in amounts determined by the 
     Merit Systems Protection Board.

              National Archives and Records Administration


                           operating expenses

       For necessary expenses in connection with the 
     administration of the National Archives (including the 
     Information Security Oversight Office) and records and 
     related activities, as provided by law, and for expenses 
     necessary for the review and declassification of documents, 
     and for the hire of passenger motor vehicles, $202,354,000: 
     Provided, That the Archivist of the United States is 
     authorized to use any excess funds available from the amount 
     borrowed for construction of the National Archives facility, 
     for expenses necessary to provide adequate storage for 
     holdings.


                        repairs and restoration

       For the repair, alteration, and improvement of archives 
     facilities and presidential libraries, and to provide 
     adequate storage for holdings, $10,650,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 1999.

        National Historical Publications and Records Commission


                             grants program

       For necessary expenses for allocations and grants for 
     historical publications and records as authorized by 44 
     U.S.C. 2504, as amended. $5,500,000, to remain available 
     until expended.

                      Office of Government Ethics


                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses to carry out functions of the Office 
     of Government Ethics pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act 
     of 1978, as amended by Public Law 100-598, and the Ethics 
     Reform Act of 1989, Public Law 101-194, including services as 
     authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, rental of conference rooms in 
     the District of Columbia and elsewhere, hire of passenger 
     motor vehicles, and not to exceed $1,500 for official 
     reception and representation expenses; $8,078,000.

                     Office of Personnel Management


                         salaries and expenses

                  (including transfer of trust funds)

       For necessary expenses to carry out functions of the Office 
     of Personnel Management pursuant to Reorganization Plan 
     Numbered 2 of 1978 and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109; medical 
     examinations performed for veterans by private physicians on 
     a fee basis; rental of conference rooms in the District of 
     Columbia and elsewhere; hire of passenger motor vehicles; not 
     to exceed $2,500 for official reception and representation 
     expenses; advances for reimbursements to applicable funds of 
     the Office of Personnel Management and the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation for expenses incurred under Executive Order 
     10422 of January 9, 1953, as amended; and payment of per diem 
     and/or subsistence allowances to employees where

[[Page H7468]]

     Voting Rights Act activities require an employee to remain 
     overnight at his or her post of duty; $85,350,000; and in 
     addition $91,236,000 for administrative expenses, to be 
     transferred from the appropriate trust funds of the Office of 
     Personnel Management without regard to other statutes, 
     including direct procurement of printed materials, for the 
     retirement and insurance programs: Provided, That the 
     provisions of this appropriation shall not affect the 
     authority to use applicable trust funds as provided by 
     section 8348(a)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code: 
     Provided further, That, except as may be consistent with 5 
     U.S.C. 8902a(f)(1) and (i), no payment may be made from the 
     Employees Health Benefits Fund to any physician, hospital, or 
     other provider of health care services or supplies who is, at 
     the time such services or supplies are provided to an 
     individual covered under chapter 89 of title 5, United States 
     Code, excluded, pursuant to section 1128 or 1128A of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7-1320a-7a), from 
     participation in any program under title XVIII of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.): Provided further, That 
     no part of this appropriation shall be available for salaries 
     and expenses of the Legal Examining Unit of the Office of 
     Personnel Management established pursuant to Executive Order 
     9358 of July 1, 1943, or any successor unit of like purpose: 
     Provided further, That the President's Commission on White 
     House Fellows, established by Executive Order 11183 of 
     October 3, 1964, may, during the fiscal year ending September 
     30, 1998, accept donations of money, property, and personal 
     services in connection with the development of a publicity 
     brochure to provide information about the White House 
     Fellows, except that no such donations shall be accepted for 
     travel or reimbursement of travel expenses, or for the 
     salaries of employees of such Commission.


                      office of inspector general

                         salaries and expenses

                  (including transfer of trust funds)

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act, 
     as amended, including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 
     3109, hire of passenger motor vehicles, $960,000; and in 
     addition, not to exceed $8,645,000 for administrative 
     expenses to audit the Office of Personnel Management's 
     retirement and insurance programs, to be transferred from the 
     appropriate trust funds of the Office of Personnel 
     Management, as determined by the Inspector General: Provided, 
     That the Inspector General is authorized to rent conference 
     rooms in the District of Columbia and elsewhere.


      government payment for annuitants, employees health benefits

       For payment of Government contributions with respect to 
     retired employees, as authorized by chapter 89 of title 5, 
     United States Code, and the Retired Federal Employees Health 
     Benefits Act (74 Stat. 849), as amended, such sums as may be 
     necessary.


       Government Payment for Annuitants, Employee Life Insurance

       For payment of Government contributions with respect to 
     employees retiring after December 31, 1989, as required by 
     chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, such sums as may 
     be necessary.


        Payment to Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund

       For financing the unfunded liability of new and increased 
     annuity benefits becoming effective on or after October 20, 
     1969, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8348, and annuities under 
     special Acts to be credited to the Civil Service Retirement 
     and Disability Fund, such sums as may be necessary: Provided, 
     That annuities authorized by the Act of May 29, 1944, as 
     amended, and the Act of August 19, 1950, as amended (33 
     U.S.C. 771-75), may hereafter be paid out of the Civil 
     Service Retirement and Disability Fund.

                       Office of Special Counsel


                         Salaries and Expenses

       For necessary expenses to carry out functions of the Office 
     of Special Counsel pursuant to Reorganization Plan Numbered 2 
     of 1978, the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-
     454), the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (Public Law 
     101-12), Public Law 103-424, and the Uniformed Services 
     Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-353), 
     including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, payment of 
     fees and expenses for witnesses, rental of conference rooms 
     in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, and hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles; $8,116,000.

                        United States Tax Court


                         Salaries and Expenses

       For necessary expenses, including contract reporting and 
     other services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, $33,921,000: 
     Provided, That travel expenses of the judges shall be paid 
     upon the written certificate of the judge.
       This title may be cited as the ``Independent Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1998''.

                      TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS

                                This Act

       Section 501. No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current 
     fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
       Sec. 502. The expenditure of any appropriation under this 
     Act for any consulting service through procurement contract, 
     pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, shall be limited to those 
     contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public 
     record and available for public inspection, except where 
     otherwise provided under existing law, or under existing 
     Executive order issued pursuant to existing law.
       Sec. 503. None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be available for any activity or for paying the salary 
     of any Government employee where funding an activity or 
     paying a salary to a Government employee would result in a 
     decision, determination, rule, regulation, or policy that 
     would prohibit the enforcement of section 307 of the Tariff 
     Act of 1930.
       Sec. 504. None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be available in fiscal year 1998 and hereafter, for the 
     purpose of transferring control over the Federal Law 
     Enforcement Training Center located at Glynco, Georgia, and 
     Artesia, New Mexico, out of the Treasury Department.
       Sec. 505. No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall be available for the payment of the salary of any 
     officer or employee of the Federal Government, who--
       (1) prohibits or prevents, or attempts or threatens to 
     prohibit or prevent, any other officer or employee of the 
     Federal Government from having any direct oral or written 
     communication or contact with any Member, committee, or 
     subcommittee of the Congress in connection with any matter 
     pertaining to the employment of such other officer or 
     employee or pertaining to the department or agency of such 
     other officer or employee in any way, irrespective of whether 
     such communication or contact is at the initiative of such 
     other officer or employee or in response to the request or 
     inquiry of such Member, committee, or subcommittee; or
       (2) removes, suspends from duty without pay, demotes, 
     reduces in rank, seniority, status, pay, or performance of 
     efficiency rating, denies promotion to, relocates, reassigns, 
     transfers, disciplines, or discriminates in regard to any 
     employment right, entitlement, or benefit, or any term or 
     condition of employment of, any other officer or employee of 
     the Federal Government, or attempts or threatens to commit 
     any of the foregoing actions with respect to such other 
     officer or employee, by reason of any communication or 
     contact of such other officer or employee with any Member, 
     committee, or subcommittee of the Congress as described in 
     paragraph (1).
       Sec. 506. The Office of Personnel Management may, during 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and hereafter, 
     accept donations of supplies, services, land, and equipment 
     for the Federal Executive Institute and Management 
     Development Centers to assist in enhancing the quality of 
     Federal management.
       Sec. 507. No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall be available to pay the salary for any person 
     filling a position, other than a temporary position, formerly 
     held by an employee who has left to enter the Armed Forces of 
     the United States and has satisfactorily completed his period 
     of active military or naval service and has within 90 days 
     after his release from such service or from hospitalization 
     continuing after discharge for a period of not more than 1 
     year made application for restoration to his former position 
     and has been certified by the Office of Personnel Management 
     as still qualified to perform the duties of his former 
     position and has not been restored thereto.
       Sec. 508. No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be 
     expended by an entity unless the entity agrees that in 
     expending the assistance the entity will comply with sections 
     2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1933 (41 U.S.C. 10a-10c, 
     popularly known as the ``Buy American Act'').
       Sec. 509. (a) Purchase of American-Made Equipment and 
     Products.--In the case of any equipment or products that may 
     be authorized to be purchased with financial assistance 
     provided under this Act, it is the sense of the Congress that 
     entities receiving such assistance should, in expending the 
     assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and 
     products.
        (b) Notice to Recipients of Assistance.--In providing 
     financial assistance under this Act, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury shall provide to each recipient of the assistance a 
     notice describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the 
     Congress.
       Sec. 510. If it has been finally determined by a court or 
     Federal agency that any person intentionally affixed a label 
     bearing a ``Made in America'' inscription, or any inscription 
     with the same meaning, to any product sold in or shipped to 
     the United States that is not made in the United States, such 
     person shall be ineligible to receive any contract or 
     subcontract made with funds provided pursuant to this Act, 
     pursuant to the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility 
     procedures described in sections 9.400 through 9.409 of title 
     48, Code of Federal Regulations.
       Sec. 511. Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, 
     not to exceed 50 percent of unobligated balances remaining 
     available at the end of fiscal year 1998 from appropriations 
     made available for salaries and expenses for fiscal year 1998 
     in this Act, shall remain available through September 30, 
     1999, for each such account for the purposes authorized: 
     Provided, That a request shall be submitted to the House and 
     Senate Committees on Appropriations for approval prior to the 
     expenditure of such funds.
       Sec. 512. None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used by the Executive Office of the President to request 
     from the Federal Bureau of Investigation any official

[[Page H7469]]

     background investigation report on any individual, except 
     when it is made known to the Federal official having 
     authority to obligate or expend such funds that--
        (1) such individual has given his or her express written 
     consent for such request not more than 6 months prior to the 
     date of such request and during the same presidential 
     administration; or
        (2) such request is required due to extraordinary 
     circumstances involving national security.
       Sec. 513. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     part of any appropriation contained or otherwise made 
     available in this Act for any fiscal year shall be available 
     for paying Sunday premium or night differential pay to any 
     employee unless such employee actually performed work during 
     the time corresponding to such premium or differential pay, 
     except that differential pay may be paid to an employee in a 
     paid leave status if that employee is permanently assigned to 
     work a shift entitled to such pay and has been in night 
     differential pay status for a minimum of 26 weeks immediately 
     prior to the date of paid leave.
       Sec. 514. In addition to any other amount appropriated for 
     the salaries and expenses of the Federal Election Commission 
     in this Act, for necessary expenses of the Commission for 
     internal automated data processing systems, $4,200,000, to 
     remain available until expended except that such amount shall 
     not be available for obligation until the conditions set 
     forth in section 515(a) (requiring the filling of Commission 
     vacancies and prohibiting the reappointment of Commission 
     members) have been satisfied.
       Sec. 515. (a) Conditions on Additional Funds for FEC.--The 
     additional amount provided in this Act under the heading 
     ``Federal Election Commission--Salaries and Expenses'' for 
     internal automated data processing systems of the Federal 
     Election Commission shall not be available for obligation 
     until--
       (1) all vacancies that existed in the membership of the 
     Commission as of July 15, 1997, have been filled; and
       (2) there is enacted into law a prohibition on the 
     reappointment of members of the Commission.
       (b) Prohibiting Reappointment of Members of Federal 
     Election Commission.--
       (1) In general.--Section 306(a)(2)(A) of the Federal 
     Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(2)(A)) is 
     amended by striking ``for terms of 6 years'' and inserting 
     ``for a single term of 6 years''.
       (2) Effective date; transition rule.--
       (A) In general.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall 
     apply with respect to individuals appointed as members of the 
     Federal Election Commission on or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (B) Treatment of current commissioners.--No individual 
     serving as a member of the Federal Election Commission as of 
     the date of the enactment of this Act may be reappointed as a 
     member of the Commission after the expiration of the 
     individual's current term of service.
       (3) Coordination of provisions.--The amendment made by 
     paragraph (1) shall be considered to satisfy the condition 
     set forth in subsection (a)(2).

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. HOYER (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent 
that the text of the bill through page 80, line 6, up to but not 
including section 516, be considered as read, printed in the Record, 
and open to amendment at any point.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there points of order to the portion of 
the bill now read, from section 502 to 516, up to but not including 
section 516? Are there amendments to that portion of the bill?
  If not, the Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 516. No funds appropriated by this Act shall be 
     available to pay for an abortion, or the administrative 
     expenses in connection with any health plan under the Federal 
     employees health benefit program which provides any benefits 
     or coverage for abortions.


                    Amendment Offered by Mrs. Lowey

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mrs. Lowey:
       Page 80, strike lines 7 through 15.

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Chair would note that the gentlewoman's 
amendment touches not only section 516, but also section 517. Is there 
objection to its being considered at this time?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that all debate on 
this amendment and all amendments thereto close in 20 minutes and that 
the time be equally divided.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Lowey] 
and the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith] each will control 10 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Lowey].
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, the Lowey-Hoyer-Morella amendment will allow Federal 
employees to choose a health care plan that covers the full range of 
reproductive health care services just like other American workers. 
Right now women working for the Federal Government are the only group 
of American women legally prohibited from obtaining employer-provided 
insurance that includes abortion coverage. These women cannot use their 
own money. Remember, it is their salary. They cannot use their own 
money to purchase such coverage.
  Let me be very clear. Congress has taken away the right to choose for 
more than 1 million American women of reproductive age who rely on 
FEHBP for their medical care. Two years ago, before we enacted this 
ban, just about half of the plans covered abortion services. Now women 
relying on FEHBP for health care must go to an abortion provider on 
their own and pay for the services out of their own pocket. This 
prohibition has made it more difficult and more dangerous for Federal 
employees to get an abortion.
  Let me give Members an example, real life, what this is all about. I 
received a letter from a woman in Alabama whose story shows how 
destructive lack of coverage for abortion services can be. Kim Mathis 
and her husband, who works for the Federal prison in their town, were 
expecting twins, but during the pregnancy things went terribly wrong. 
They learned that the twins had a rare malady with many complications, 
and there was a very slim chance of either twin surviving the 
pregnancy.
  After consulting with the doctor, Kim and her husband made what she 
calls ``the hardest decision of my life,'' to terminate the pregnancy. 
Knowing that that kind of abortion could cost up to $12,000, the doctor 
asked them about their insurance. They went home, checked the booklet 
for the insurance they had through Kim's husband's job at the Federal 
prison, and saw that all legal abortions were covered. Unfortunately, 
their booklet was 1 year old.
  After the procedure was done, they started getting notices from the 
insurance company stating that their claims were denied. They found out 
that because of the law enacted by Congress in November 1995, their 
coverage for abortion had been terminated. Soon the hospital began 
harassing them for payment, turned the case over to a collections 
agency, and after receiving threatening letters and phone calls at 
work, they were forced to file for bankruptcy.
  As Kim wrote to me in a letter, ``Our lives and financial future have 
been ruined. Families like ours should not have to go bankrupt in order 
to receive appropriate medical care.''
  We have been wrong, my colleagues, for the last 2 years to pass this 
restriction. I urge Members to vote for the Lowey-Hoyer-Morella 
amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  First of all, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Louisiana [Mr. Livingston] for his very humane and courageous 
leadership in ensuring that the legislation before the body today does 
not have an authorization to provide money to pay for abortion. The 
Livingston amendment, which is a continuous effort that has been made 
over the years going back to the early 1980's when I first offered this 
amendment to the Treasury-Postal bill, ensures that taxpayers and 
premium payers do not subsidize abortion on demand, and that is what 
the issue is before us today.
  Let me make it very clear that taxpayers pay into this program 
approximately 73 percent of the total funding for our health insurance. 
The premium payers, and that is all of us, myself included, and my 
other colleagues, we pay the remaining 27 percent. But the major share, 
three-fourths of the money that goes into the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits Program

[[Page H7470]]

comes from the U.S. taxpayers, and they have shown consistently in 
every poll that they do not want to pay for abortions on demand.
  The Hyde amendment and the vote that we had last week, one of the 
high water marks in terms of the votes that were garnered for the Hyde 
amendment, make it very clear that even people who take the other side 
of this issue recognize that there are many of us who conscientiously 
believe we should have no complicity in the killing or the maiming of 
unborn children.
  Let me also say, Mr. Chairman, and this does afford us this 
opportunity, that when we talk about abortion, we very often sanitize 
it. We try to treat it euphemistically. Some people always like to 
refer to it as choice, but the bottom line is abortion is violence 
against children. It takes the life of a baby whether it be by 
dismembering that unborn child or by injecting poisons like salt poison 
into the baby's amniotic sac, which kills the baby in a very slow and a 
very painful way.
  As we saw earlier in this session, Mr. Chairman, there are other 
hideous methods of abortion as well, like the partial-birth abortion. 
Yes, it was banned by the House and by the Senate. The legislation has 
not yet gone to the White House, but that, too, could be paid for under 
the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program if we do not have this 
language contained within it.
  Let me also point out to my colleagues that the language in the bill 
makes exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother, but the 
majority of the abortions, the majority of those children who otherwise 
would have their lives snuffed out and subsidized by this body and by 
the premium payers, would not happen if this language stays in the 
bill.
  I urge Members to vote against this amendment that has been offered. 
It would subsidize abortion on demand, no doubt about that.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella].
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time. She has been a great leader in the prochoice movement and 
for Federal employees.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment. It is going 
to simply prevent discrimination against Federal employees. Two years 
ago, Congress voted to deny Federal employees coverage for abortions 
provided to most of the rest of the country's work force through their 
health insurance plans. This decision was discriminatory, and it was 
another example of Congress chipping away at the benefits of Federal 
employees in their opportunity to choose an insurance plan that best 
meets their own health care needs.
  The coverage of abortion services in Federal health plans would not 
mean that abortions are being subsidized by the Federal Government. 
Currently the government simply contributes to the premiums of Federal 
employees in order to allow them to purchase private health insurance. 
The many participating plans in the FEHBP may or may not choose to 
include coverage for abortion services, and prior to last year's 
decision, about half of the participating plans provided this coverage. 
Thus an employee who did not wish to choose a plan with abortion 
coverage could do just that.
  Unfortunately, Congress denied Federal employees their access to 
abortion coverage, therefore discriminating against them and treating 
them differently from the vast majority of private sector employees. 
Currently two-thirds of private fee-for-service plans and 70 percent of 
HMO's provide abortion coverage. It is really insulting to Federal 
employees that they are being told that part of their own compensation 
package is not under their control.
  Thousands of Federal employees struggle to make ends meet. Many 
Federal employees are single parents or the sole wage earners in their 
families. For these workers, the cost of an abortion would be a 
significant hardship, interfering with a woman's constitutionally 
protected right to choose. For these women, the lack of this health 
coverage could result in delayed abortions occurring later in the 
pregnancy, an outcome no one here wants to see.
  Mr. Chairman, this amendment simply restores the rights of Federal 
employees to the same health care services covered by most private 
sector health plans. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and 
reverse the unwise decision made 2 years ago.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], the very distinguished ranking member of this 
subcommittee.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time, and I very much appreciate the leadership she has shown on this 
issue. I want to say that I appreciate the leadership that the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith] has shown as well.
  This is a very wrenching issue for every Member of the House. It is 
my perspective, as the Members know, on this particular issue that this 
is really not about abortion. It is about Federal employees' pay and 
benefits. Every other employee in America gets certain benefits from 
their employer. Those benefits are paid in consequence of and in 
consideration of the services rendered by the employee to the employer. 
Therefore, the benefit in this case is not the Federal Government's nor 
the taxpayer's any longer. It is, in fact, the compensation paid to the 
employee.
  Having said that, Mr. Chairman, I know that there is a very serious 
disagreement on this issue and perception as to whether or not this is 
the application of taxpayers' funds towards a procedure that many 
taxpayers find unacceptable; in fact, most taxpayers find unacceptable, 
whether or not they are for Government action to prohibit it.

                             {time}   1500

  Mr. Chairman, I would simply say that it has been historically my 
position and continues to be that this is the Federal employees 
compensation package. It is not ours to control one way or the other. I 
know there is a significant dispute on that.
  I thank the gentlewoman for offering this amendment so it could be 
brought again for our attention before the House.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume, just so the body is very clear that we are voting on 
whether or not to permit abortion on demand in the Federal Employees 
Health Benefits Program.
  The Committee on Appropriations wisely included language that would 
preclude the use of funds under the Federal Employees Health Benefits 
plan for that, and just to remind Members that just under three-fourths 
of all of the funding that goes into that health plan comes from the 
taxpayers, and roughly a quarter of that comes from the premium payers, 
which, again, is us as well. For that reason, this is a publicly funded 
abortion scheme.
  Just to follow up to what my friend from Maryland said a moment ago, 
it really is up to the Congress to set it. This is not a collective 
bargaining issue, and it is up to the Congress to establish the 
parameters of what this program will look like. That is in the statute. 
There is nothing out of the ordinary with regards to what we are doing 
here today.
  Let me also remind Members that this pro-life rider was in effect 
from 1984 to 1993, and it has also been in effect for the last two 
years.
  It has already passed in the other body, and my hope is it will 
continue so we have no complicity in the killing of unborn children.
  I urge a no vote on the amendment Lowey-Hoyer-Morella amendment.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to my 
good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from the State of 
Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson].
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman 
for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to clarify what we are talking about here. 
First of all, respectfully, I totally and completely disagree with the 
comments of the gentleman from New Jersey. We are not talking about 
abortion on demand. The Supreme Court decision does not allow abortion 
on demand and we all know that, and in the third trimester it is very 
hard in America to get an abortion, as it should be, and in the mid-
trimester it is very difficult, as it should be.

[[Page H7471]]

  Now, we are talking about whether or not Federal employees ought to 
have access to the same legal medical procedures as other Americans. 
Remember, these are people who are paying taxes to fund the health 
benefits of the people who work at General Electric. We spend $80 
billion every year subsidizing private sector health plans, and our 
Federal employees pay that. Yet you would deny them the same benefits 
that they are funding for other Americans.
  If you want to make abortion illegal, bring the bill to the floor and 
let us vote on it; but do not make Federal employees second-class 
citizens. Do not make the kind of woman that the gentlewoman from New 
York [Mrs. Lowey] just described.
  I have one here, but it takes too long to talk about it. Here was a 
36-year-old mother, she and her husband dying to have a family. She had 
a child with no brain at all. On medical advice she was urged to abort 
it, did, wants to have another child. She is an older mother, there are 
risks. She is trying to preserve her fertility because she desperately 
wants to have not one child, but several. After extensive testing, the 
medical community said this child has no chance of life at all, it has 
no brain at all, and you need to abort it and go on.
  So I just ask for equal treatment of Federal employees. It is only 
fair.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield the balance of 
my time to the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro], a woman who 
has been a fighter on this issue and so many others.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). The gentlewoman from 
Connecticut is recognized for 30 seconds.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this 
amendment, which will end the prohibition of abortion coverage for 
American women, coverage under the FEHB health plan. It seems that 
every time we turn around we see that some on the other side of the 
aisle would like to draw back the line of a woman's right to choose.
  This is a constitutional right to choose. This is a choice and 
decision that should be made by a woman, her family, in consultation 
with her clergy, and with her doctor. No matter what income level, no 
matter where she lives or what she does for a living, every woman has a 
right to make this decision on her own. We have no right to take that 
decision away.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Let us stop 
discriminating against government workers.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time under the unanimous-consent agreement has 
expired.
  The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New 
York [Mrs. Lowey].
  The amendment was rejected.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Sec. 517. The provision of section 516 shall not apply 
     where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus 
     were carried to term, or the pregnancy is the result of an 
     act of rape or incest.


             certain historic u.s. origin firearms imports

       Sec. 518. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, none 
     of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under 
     this Act or any other Act may be expended or obligated by a 
     department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States 
     to pay administrative expenses or to compensate an officer or 
     employee of the United States in connection with the denial 
     of an application for the importation of military firearms 
     (or ammunition, components, parts, accessories, and 
     attachments for such firearms) submitted under section 
     38(b)(1)(B) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
     2778(b)(1)(B), as added by section 8142(a) of the Department 
     of Defense Appropriations Act, 1988), if the application 
     meets the otherwise applicable requirements of section 
     178.112 and 178.113 of title 27, Code of Federal Regulations 
     (as in effect on January 1, 1996), and the application is not 
     for the importation of articles on the United States 
     Munitions Import List from a proscribed country. For purposes 
     of the preceding sentence, the term ``proscribed country'' 
     means a country with respect to which the proscriptions 
     contained in section 47.52 of title 27, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, apply.


                             Point of Order

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point of order.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentlewoman will state her point of 
order.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order 
against section 518 on page 80 because it proposes to change existing 
law and constitutes legislation in an appropriations bill, and, 
therefore, violates clause 2 of rule XXI.
  The rule states in pertinent part no amendment to a general 
appropriations bill shall be in order if in changing law. The amendment 
does not apply solely to the appropriations under consideration.
  I am asking for a ruling from the Chair.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. 
Hoyer] wish to be heard on the point of order?
  Mr. HOYER. Yes.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, reserving the right to speak on the point of 
order, we will concede the point of order. We have reviewed it, and the 
gentlewoman is correct.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
the point of order?
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, we would concede the point of order is 
correct. While I strongly favor this provision, given the circumstances 
that this bill is brought to the floor, this provision is clearly 
legislation on an appropriations bill.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, if section 518 were passed 
as part of the Treasury and Postal Operations Appropriation bill, I 
believe the result would be an increase in gun violence and increased 
danger to the lives and safety of our Nation's police officers.
  Section 518 would effectively allow foreign governments to resell 
millions of dangerous, high-powered M1 carbine semiautomatic weapons, 
M-1 garand rifles, and .45 caliber M1911 pistols in the United States 
as curios and relics. Importing such high-powered weapons would flood 
the U.S. gun market, thereby lowering the price of these military 
weapons, making them more affordable for dangerous criminals.
  Congressman Patrick Kennedy and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney 
introduced legislation earlier this year that would help keep our 
streets safe by permanently banning the importation of these military 
weapons. The point of order offered today will only prevent the 
importation of such weapons for 1 year. It is time for Congress to 
follow Mr. Kennedy's leadership and pass his bill to provide protection 
for America's families and police officers by ending the importation of 
these high-powered military weapons once and for all.
  If anyone thinks that these curios and relics are not dangerous and 
should be imported freely into the United States, I would like to draw 
their attention to two critical facts. First, with the addition of 
three inexpensive pieces of hardware, the M-1 carbine--a semiautomatic 
weapon--can be easily converted into an automatic submachine gun with 
the potential of firing up to 30 rounds in a matter of seconds. This 
would effectively squash any rapid response law enforcement officers 
could ever hope to give.
  Second, in the last several years, police officers have been killed 
and crimes committed at an alarming rate by these dangerous weapons. 
Nine officers have lost their lives to these so-called relics since 
1990. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, nearly 
2,000 M-1 garand rifles and M1911 pistols were traced to crime scenes 
in 1995 and 1996. In New York, 71 of these so-called curios and relics 
were linked to crimes committed during the past 2 years.
  Foreign governments should not be allowed to profit off of our 
misery. We need to make sure that we put a stop to that while trying to 
reduce gun violence. It is bad policy to allow anyone, including our 
own Government, to profit off of the agony and pain of others.
  Gun violence takes a serious financial toll on our society and on our 
Nation's healthcare system. According to a May 1997 Violence Policy 
Center study, firearm injuries cost society approximately $20.4 billion 
in 1990. Of that figure, at least $17.4 billion represents the value of 
lost productivity due to premature deaths. According to the Center to 
Prevent Handgun Violence, direct healthcare expenditures for firearm-
related injuries in the United States in 1995 was $4 billion. This 
figure is high because firearm wounds are the most costly injuries to 
treat.
  Aside from the physical healing that takes place after gun violence 
there is also the emotional healing. Gun violence leaves families in 
shambles. It leaves the loved-ones to pick up the pieces of their lives 
and an empty hole in the hearts of family and friends that can never 
again be filled. I know from my own experience that gun violence can 
completely alter the course of a person's life--it did mine.
  Congress shouldn't allow foreign countries to dump their weapons in 
our country. We all

[[Page H7472]]

know what happens when high-powered weapons fall into the hands of the 
wrong people. Although some may consider these weapons collectors' 
items, they are lethal weapons. We need to permanently end the 
importation of these weapons.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. 
Kennedy] wish to be heard?
  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I would like to join in 
raising the point of order.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard on 
this point of order?
  The point of order is conceded and sustained, and section 518 is 
stricken from the bill.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 519. No funds appropriated for the United States 
     Postal Service under this or any other Act may be expended by 
     the Postal Service to expand the Global Package Link Service.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point of order.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point of 
order.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, section 519, found on page 81, lines 13 
through 16 of the legislation before us, applies not only to current 
appropriations, but incorporates by reference the permanent 
appropriations authority contained in title 39 United States Code 
section 2401(a), and thus violates clause 2 of rule XXI of the House 
prohibiting reporting a provision which changes existing law.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be on the 
point of order heard?
  Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Chairman, regarding the point of order, I 
understand this provision is probably subject to a point of order and 
will be stricken, but I want to reserve my right to strike the last 
word after it is completed and make a few comments.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. 
Fattah] wish to be heard on the point of order?
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise as the ranking minority Member on 
Postal Service in support of the point of order, and would hope that 
the Chair would concur that clause 2 of rule XXI would be in play as 
relates to this amendment, and that it should be struck because it 
attempts to add legislative language to an appropriations bill.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Maine [Mr. Allen] 
wish to be heard on the point of order?
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, the point of order just made by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] was made against section 519 of 
the bill, which would restrict the U.S. Postal Service's Global Package 
Link System.
  That provision does not belong in this bill. Not only is it 
inappropriate in an appropriations bill, but it is also bad policy. 
What this provision seeks to prohibit is the expansion of the Global 
Package Link System by the Postal Service.
  In changing the authority governing the Postal Service's operations, 
it violates the House rule against legislating on an appropriations 
bill.
  Legislation affecting the Postal Service is clearly within the 
jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, on 
which I serve. The committee will be looking at Global Package Link as 
part of postal reform, and that is an appropriate course for review, 
rather than through this rider.
  The Global Package Link, or GPL, is a valuable program that helps 
U.S. businesses gain new markets and opportunities overseas, which 
means more jobs here at home. GPL was established by the Postal Service 
at the request of U.S. catalog companies, who wanted a faster and 
better way to ship their packages to international customers.
  One of these customers is L.L. Bean, which is in my districts in 
Freeport, Maine. GPL is good for American business and good for jobs. 
It is innovative. Other competitors like UPS could establish similar 
systems and streamline their own overseas delivery service.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Chair would ask the gentleman to 
confine his remarks to the point of order and not the merits of the 
section.
  Does the gentleman from Arizona wish to be heard?
  Mr. KOLBE. Just to say, reluctantly, I accept the point of order, 
that it is legislation on the appropriations bill. Given the 
circumstances of bringing this bill to the floor, this would not be in 
order on this bill.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Does any other Member wish to be heard?
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, we concede the point of order on this side.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The point of order is conceded and 
sustained, and section 519 is stricken from the bill.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, the Global Package Link provision, authored by 
Representative Northrup, (R-KY) would prohibit the United States Postal 
Service (USPS) from expanding its Global Package Link international 
parcel service for one year, while a Government Accounting Office (GAO) 
report is completed on the issue of international mail. The GPL, an 
``electronic Customs preparatory system'' was developed by the USPS in 
direct response to its customers demands. It allows our nation's 
largest and leading retailers such as Lands' End, Neiman Marcus, J.C. 
Penny, L.L. Bean and others to deliver merchandise to their catalog 
customers in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. These and many 
other companies support and rely upon the Postal Service to send their 
products via the GPL service.
  By way of legitimately responding to a postal matter under the 
jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on the Postal Service, the 
Subcommittee in July asked the GAO to investigate charges that the GPL 
service enjoys any unfair advantages over shipments by private 
carriers. We expect to have a report on this matter early next year.
  The Blair Corporation, a large mail-order company located in my State 
of Pennsylvania provided some very thoughtful comments on the Northrup 
provisions. Thoughtful, because unlike the numerous mail-order firms 
currently using the Postal Service's GPL service, it is not a current 
user. The President of Blair Corporation states:
  ``We cannot believe that our Congress would stop a valuable 
international delivery service, which has become very important to 
expanding the exports of U.S. direct mail companies, and could become 
the means by which our company and others like it are able to enter the 
international market, without even a hearing before the appropriate 
Committees of Congress, which understand postal operations and their 
importance to the direct mail industry.
  This attempt to prevent the Postal Service from operating as any 
other business would, when so many in the Congress as well as the 
business community have pleaded with the Postal Service to become more 
businesslike and more efficient, is ironic. Global Postal Link and 
other Postal Service innovations are a serious response by the Postal 
Service to those pleas. This amendment will wipe out an important 
Postal Service effort to become more businesslike and will represent a 
serious blow to many mail order companies and damage this country's 
export efforts. We urge you to reject this effort to end-run the 
authorizing committees and vote ``yes'' to strip the ``Northrup'' 
Amendment from H.R. 2378.''
  In conclusion, the Northrup provision is framed as a limitation on 
funds, but contains legislative language. It does not belong on an 
appropriation bill. This is a violation of House Rules.
  Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, understanding that the last provision that we struck 
was the Global Package Link freeze for one year, I just want to take 
this opportunity to comment on the importance of this issue.
  We all believe that we need to expand all trading opportunities that 
businesses in this country have. In particular it is important that we 
open and expand opportunities for overnight delivery services.
  The concern that the committee had and that I raised in the committee 
is that when we open these opportunities, we should not allow the 
United States Post Office to create a monopoly so that only they can 
deliver overnight packages.
  That is what you do when our government, a government entity, 
negotiates with another government that this overnight link occurs only 
if the packages are brought in by the Postal Service.
  These arrangements allow the Post Office to bypass both customs, 
pricewise and timewise, so that they can deliver overnight and no 
private carriers can. We believe all private carriers should have an 
opportunity to expand trade in this country.
  So it is not in an effort to limit what companies in this country 
have and the

[[Page H7473]]

opportunities they have, but, rather, to expand those opportunities 
through multiple carriers.
  We felt like the one-year freeze was a fair balance. Since that has 
been struck, I want to say that I am reassured by the Committee on 
Postal Oversight that they are going to take up this issue, that they 
are going to hold hearings, and that they are going to try to find the 
fair balance in their reauthorization bill that will come before us 
early next year.
  We all agree that it needs to be looked at; we all agree that it 
needs to be examined. I look forward to the promise of the subcommittee 
chairman or the committee chairman of the Committee on Postal Oversight 
that his committee will do a fair and equitable job at looking at this.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                      TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS

                Departments, Agencies, and Corporations

       Section 601. Funds appropriated in this or any other Act 
     may be used to pay travel to the United States for the 
     immediate family of employees serving abroad in cases of 
     death or life threatening illness of said employee.
       Sec. 602. No department, agency, or instrumentality of the 
     United States receiving appropriated funds under this or any 
     other Act for fiscal year 1998 shall obligate or expend any 
     such funds, unless such department, agency, or 
     instrumentality has in place, and will continue to administer 
     in good faith, a written policy designed to ensure that all 
     of its workplaces are free from the illegal use, possession, 
     or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the 
     Controlled Substances Act) by the officers and employees of 
     such department, agency, or instrumentality.
       Sec. 603. Notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 1345, any agency, 
     department, or instrumentality of the United States which 
     provides or proposes to provide child care services for 
     Federal employees may reimburse any Federal employee or any 
     person employed to provide such services for travel, 
     transportation, and subsistence expenses incurred for 
     training classes, conferences, or other meetings in 
     connection with the provision of such services: Provided, 
     That any per diem allowance made pursuant to this section 
     shall not exceed the rate specified in regulations prescribed 
     pursuant to section 5707 of title 5, United States Code.
       Sec. 604. Unless otherwise specifically provided, the 
     maximum amount allowable during the current fiscal year in 
     accordance with section 16 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (60 
     Stat. 810), for the purchase of any passenger motor vehicle 
     (exclusive of buses, ambulances, law enforcement, and 
     undercover surveillance vehicles), is hereby fixed at $8,100 
     except station wagons for which the maximum shall be $9,100: 
     Provided, That these limits may be exceeded by not to exceed 
     $3,700 for police-type vehicles, and by not to exceed $4,000 
     for special heavy-duty vehicles: Provided further, That the 
     limits set forth in this section may not be exceeded by more 
     than 5 percent for electric or hybrid vehicles purchased for 
     demonstration under the provisions of the Electric and Hybrid 
     Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976: 
     Provided further, That the limits set forth in this section 
     may be exceeded by the incremental cost of clean alternative 
     fuels vehicles acquired pursuant to Public Law 101-549 over 
     the cost of comparable conventionally fueled vehicles.
       Sec. 605. Appropriations of the executive departments and 
     independent establishments for the current fiscal year 
     available for expenses of travel, or for the expenses of the 
     activity concerned, are hereby made available for quarters 
     allowances and cost-of-living allowances, in accordance with 
     5 U.S.C. 5922-24.
       Sec. 606. Unless otherwise specified during the current 
     fiscal year, no part of any appropriation contained in this 
     or any other Act shall be used to pay the compensation of any 
     officer or employee of the Government of the United States 
     (including any agency the majority of the stock of which is 
     owned by the Government of the United States) whose post of 
     duty is in the continental United States unless such person 
     (1) is a citizen of the United States, (2) is a person in the 
     service of the United States on the date of enactment of this 
     Act who, being eligible for citizenship, has filed a 
     declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United 
     States prior to such date and is actually residing in the 
     United States, (3) is a person who owes allegiance to the 
     United States, (4) is an alien from Cuba, Poland, South 
     Vietnam, the countries of the former Soviet Union, or the 
     Baltic countries lawfully admitted to the United States for 
     permanent residence, (5) is a South Vietnamese, Cambodian, or 
     Laotian refugee paroled in the United States after January 1, 
     1975, or (6) is a national of the People's Republic of China 
     who qualifies for adjustment of status pursuant to the 
     Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992: Provided, That for 
     the purpose of this section, an affidavit signed by any such 
     person shall be considered prima facie evidence that the 
     requirements of this section with respect to his or her 
     status have been complied with: Provided further, That any 
     person making a false affidavit shall be guilty of a felony, 
     and, upon conviction, shall be fined no more than $4,000 or 
     imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both: Provided 
     further, That the above penal clause shall be in addition to, 
     and not in substitution for, any other provisions of existing 
     law: Provided further, That any payment made to any officer 
     or employee contrary to the provisions of this section shall 
     be recoverable in action by the Federal Government. This 
     section shall not apply to citizens of Ireland, Israel, or 
     the Republic of the Philippines, or to nationals of those 
     countries allied with the United States in the current 
     defense effort, or to international broadcasters employed by 
     the United States Information Agency, or to temporary 
     employment of translators, or to temporary employment in the 
     field service (not to exceed 60 days) as a result of 
     emergencies.
       Sec. 607. Appropriations available to any department or 
     agency during the current fiscal year for necessary expenses, 
     including maintenance or operating expenses, shall also be 
     available for payment to the General Services Administration 
     for charges for space and services and those expenses of 
     renovation and alteration of buildings and facilities which 
     constitute public improvements performed in accordance with 
     the Public Buildings Act of 1959 (73 Stat. 749), the Public 
     Buildings Amendments of 1972 (87 Stat. 216), or other 
     applicable law.
       Sec. 608. In addition to funds provided in this or any 
     other Act, all Federal agencies are authorized to receive and 
     use funds resulting from the sale of materials, including 
     Federal records disposed of pursuant to a records schedule 
     recovered through recycling or waste prevention programs. 
     Such funds shall be available until expended for the 
     following purposes:
       (1) Acquisition, waste reduction and prevention, and 
     recycling programs as described in Executive Order 12873 
     (October 20, 1993), including any such programs adopted prior 
     to the effective date of the Executive Order.
       (2) Other Federal agency environmental management programs, 
     including, but not limited to, the development and 
     implementation of hazardous waste management and pollution 
     prevention programs.
       (3) Other employee programs as authorized by law or as 
     deemed appropriate by the head of the Federal agency.
       Sec. 609. Funds made available by this or any other Act for 
     administrative expenses in the current fiscal year of the 
     corporations and agencies subject to chapter 91 of title 31, 
     United States Code, shall be available, in addition to 
     objects for which such funds are otherwise available, for 
     rent in the District of Columbia; services in accordance with 
     5 U.S.C. 3109; and the objects specified under this head, all 
     the provisions of which shall be applicable to the 
     expenditure of such funds unless otherwise specified in the 
     Act by which they are made available: Provided, That in the 
     event any functions budgeted as administrative expenses are 
     subsequently transferred to or paid from other funds, the 
     limitations on administrative expenses shall be 
     correspondingly reduced.
       Sec. 610. No part of any appropriation for the current 
     fiscal year contained in this or any other Act shall be paid 
     to any person for the filling of any position for which he or 
     she has been nominated after the Senate has voted not to 
     approve the nomination of said person.
       Sec. 611. No part of any appropriation contained in this or 
     any other Act shall be available for interagency financing of 
     boards (except Federal Executive Boards), commissions, 
     councils, committees, or similar groups (whether or not they 
     are interagency entities) which do not have a prior and 
     specific statutory approval to receive financial support from 
     more than one agency or instrumentality.
       Sec. 612. Funds made available by this or any other Act to 
     the Postal Service Fund (39 U.S.C. 2003) shall be available 
     for employment of guards for all buildings and areas owned or 
     occupied by the Postal Service and under the charge and 
     control of the Postal Service, and such guards shall have, 
     with respect to such property, the powers of special 
     policemen provided by the first section of the Act of June 1, 
     1948, as amended (62 Stat. 281; 40 U.S.C. 318), and, as to 
     property owned or occupied by the Postal Service, the 
     Postmaster General may take the same actions as the 
     Administrator of General Services may take under the 
     provisions of sections 2 and 3 of the Act of June 1, 1948, as 
     amended (62 Stat. 281; 40 U.S.C. 318a, 318b), attaching 
     thereto penal consequences under the authority and within the 
     limits provided in section 4 of the Act of June 1, 1948, as 
     amended (62 Stat. 281; 40 U.S.C. 318c).
       Sec. 613. None of the funds made available pursuant to the 
     provisions of this Act shall be used to implement, 
     administer, or enforce any regulation which has been 
     disapproved pursuant to a resolution of disapproval duly 
     adopted in accordance with the applicable law of the United 
     States.
       Sec. 614. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     and except as otherwise provided in this section, no part of 
     any of the funds appropriated for the fiscal year ending on 
     September 30, 1998, by this or any other Act, may be used to 
     pay any prevailing rate employee described in section 
     5342(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code--
       (1) during the period from the date of expiration of the 
     limitation imposed by section 616 of the Treasury, Postal 
     Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1997, 
     until the normal effective date of the applicable wage survey 
     adjustment that is to take effect in fiscal year 1998, in an 
     amount that

[[Page H7474]]

     exceeds the rate payable for the applicable grade and step of 
     the applicable wage schedule in accordance with such section 
     616; and
       (2) during the period consisting of the remainder of fiscal 
     year 1998, in an amount that exceeds, as a result of a wage 
     survey adjustment, the rate payable under paragraph (1) by 
     more than the sum of--
       (A) the percentage adjustment taking effect in fiscal year 
     1998 under section 5303 of title 5, United States Code, in 
     the rates of pay under the General Schedule; and
       (B) the difference between the overall average percentage 
     of the locality-based comparability payments taking effect in 
     fiscal year 1998 under section 5304 of such title (whether by 
     adjustment or otherwise), and the overall average percentage 
     of such payments which was effective in fiscal year 1997 
     under such section.
       (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     prevailing rate employee described in subparagraph (B) or (C) 
     of section 5342(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, and no 
     employee covered by section 5348 of such title, may be paid 
     during the periods for which subsection (a) is in effect at a 
     rate that exceeds the rates that would be payable under 
     subsection (a) were subsection (a) applicable to such 
     employee.
       (c) For the purposes of this section, the rates payable to 
     an employee who is covered by this section and who is paid 
     from a schedule not in existence on September 30, 1997, shall 
     be determined under regulations prescribed by the Office of 
     Personnel Management.
       (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rates of 
     premium pay for employees subject to this section may not be 
     changed from the rates in effect on September 30, 1997, 
     except to the extent determined by the Office of Personnel 
     Management to be consistent with the purpose of this section.
       (e) This section shall apply with respect to pay for 
     service performed after September 30, 1997.
       (f) For the purpose of administering any provision of law 
     (including section 8431 of title 5, United States Code, and 
     any rule or regulation that provides premium pay, retirement, 
     life insurance, or any other employee benefit) that requires 
     any deduction or contribution, or that imposes any 
     requirement or limitation on the basis of a rate of salary or 
     basic pay, the rate of salary or basic pay payable after the 
     application of this section shall be treated as the rate of 
     salary or basic pay.
       (g) Nothing in this section shall be considered to permit 
     or require the payment to any employee covered by this 
     section at a rate in excess of the rate that would be payable 
     were this section not in effect.
       (h) The Office of Personnel Management may provide for 
     exceptions to the limitations imposed by this section if the 
     Office determines that such exceptions are necessary to 
     ensure the recruitment or retention of qualified employees.
       Sec. 615. During the period in which the head of any 
     department or agency, or any other officer or civilian 
     employee of the Government appointed by the President of the 
     United States, holds office, no funds may be obligated or 
     expended in excess of $5,000 to furnish or redecorate the 
     office of such department head, agency head, officer, or 
     employee, or to purchase furniture or make improvements for 
     any such office, unless advance notice of such furnishing or 
     redecoration is expressly approved by the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House and Senate. For the purposes of 
     this section, the word ``office'' shall include the entire 
     suite of offices assigned to the individual, as well as any 
     other space used primarily by the individual or the use of 
     which is directly controlled by the individual.
       Sec. 616. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     executive branch agency shall purchase, construct, and/or 
     lease any additional facilities, except within or contiguous 
     to existing locations, to be used for the purpose of 
     conducting Federal law enforcement training without the 
     advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations.
       Sec. 617. Notwithstanding section 1346 of title 31, United 
     States Code, or section 611 of this Act, funds made available 
     for fiscal year 1998 by this or any other Act shall be 
     available for the interagency funding of national security 
     and emergency preparedness telecommunications initiatives 
     which benefit multiple Federal departments, agencies, or 
     entities, as provided by Executive Order Numbered 12472 
     (April 3, 1984).
       Sec. 618. (a) None of the funds appropriated by this or any 
     other Act may be obligated or expended by any Federal 
     department, agency, or other instrumentality for the salaries 
     or expenses of any employee appointed to a position of a 
     confidential or policy-determining character excepted from 
     the competitive service pursuant to section 3302 of title 5, 
     United States Code, without a certification to the Office of 
     Personnel Management from the head of the Federal department, 
     agency, or other instrumentality employing the Schedule C 
     appointee that the Schedule C position was not created solely 
     or primarily in order to detail the employee to the White 
     House.
       (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to 
     Federal employees or members of the armed services detailed 
     to or from--
       (1) the Central Intelligence Agency;
       (2) the National Security Agency;
       (3) the Defense Intelligence Agency;
       (4) the offices within the Department of Defense for the 
     collection of specialized national foreign intelligence 
     through reconnaissance programs;
       (5) the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the 
     Department of State;
       (6) any agency, office, or unit of the Army, Navy, Air 
     Force, and Marine Corps, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
     and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the Department of 
     Justice, the Department of Transportation, the Department of 
     the Treasury, and the Department of Energy performing 
     intelligence functions; and
       (7) the Director of Central Intelligence.
       Sec. 619. No department, agency, or instrumentality of the 
     United States receiving appropriated funds under this or any 
     other Act for fiscal year 1998 shall obligate or expend any 
     such funds, unless such department, agency, or 
     instrumentality has in place, and will continue to administer 
     in good faith, a written policy designed to ensure that all 
     of its workplaces are free from discrimination and sexual 
     harassment and that all of its workplaces are not in 
     violation of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as 
     amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 
     and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
       Sec. 620. No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act may be used to pay for the expenses of travel of 
     employees, including employees of the Executive Office of the 
     President, not directly responsible for the discharge of 
     official governmental tasks and duties: Provided, That this 
     restriction shall not apply to the family of the President, 
     Members of Congress or their spouses, Heads of State of a 
     foreign country or their designees, persons providing 
     assistance to the President for official purposes, or other 
     individuals so designated by the President.
       Sec. 621. Notwithstanding any provision of law, the 
     President, or his designee, must certify to Congress, 
     annually, that no person or persons with direct or indirect 
     responsibility for administering the Executive Office of the 
     President's Drug-Free Workplace Plan are themselves subject 
     to a program of individual random drug testing.
       Sec. 622. (a) None of the funds made available in this or 
     any other Act may be obligated or expended for any employee 
     training that--
       (1) does not meet identified needs for knowledge, skills, 
     and abilities bearing directly upon the performance of 
     official duties;
       (2) contains elements likely to induce high levels of 
     emotional response or psychological stress in some 
     participants;
       (3) does not require prior employee notification of the 
     content and methods to be used in the training and written 
     end of course evaluation;
       (4) contains any methods or content associated with 
     religious or quasi-religious belief systems or ``new age'' 
     belief systems as defined in Equal Employment Opportunity 
     Commission Notice N-915.022, dated September 2, 1988;
       (5) is offensive to, or designed to change, participants' 
     personal values or lifestyle outside the workplace; or
       (6) includes content related to human immunodeficiency 
     virus-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) other 
     than that necessary to make employees more aware of the 
     medical ramifications of HIV/AIDS and the workplace rights of 
     HIV-positive employees.
        (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit, restrict, or 
     otherwise preclude an agency from conducting training bearing 
     directly upon the performance of official duties.
       Sec. 623. No funds appropriated in this or any other Act 
     for fiscal year 1998 may be used to implement or enforce the 
     agreements in Standard Forms 312 and 4355 of the Government 
     or any other nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement if such 
     policy, form, or agreement does not contain the following 
     provisions: ``These restrictions are consistent with and do 
     not supersede, conflict with, or otherwise alter the employee 
     obligations, rights, or liabilities created by Executive 
     Order 12356; section 7211 of title 5, United States Code 
     (governing disclosures to Congress); section 1034 of title 
     10, United States Code, as amended by the Military 
     Whistleblower Protection Act (governing disclosure to 
     Congress by members of the military); section 2302(b)(8) of 
     title 5, United States Code, as amended by the Whistleblower 
     Protection Act (governing disclosures of illegality, waste, 
     fraud, abuse or public health or safety threats); the 
     Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982 (50 U.S.C. 421 
     et seq.) (governing disclosures that could expose 
     confidential Government agents); and the statutes which 
     protect against disclosure that may compromise the national 
     security, including sections 641, 793, 794, 798, and 952 of 
     title 18, United States Code, and section 4(b) of the 
     Subversive Activities Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. section 783(b)). 
     The definitions, requirements, obligations, rights, 
     sanctions, and liabilities created by said Executive Order 
     and listed statutes are incorporated into this agreement and 
     are controlling.'': Provided, That notwithstanding the 
     preceding paragraph, a nondisclosure policy form or agreement 
     that is to be executed by a person connected with the conduct 
     of an intelligence or intelligence-related activity, other 
     than an employee or officer of the United States Government, 
     may contain provisions appropriate to the particular activity 
     for which such document is to be used. Such form or agreement 
     shall, at a minimum, require that the person will not 
     disclose any classified information received in the course of 
     such activity unless specifically authorized to do so by the 
     United States Government. Such nondisclosure forms shall also

[[Page H7475]]

     make it clear that they do not bar disclosures to Congress or 
     to an authorized official of an executive agency or the 
     Department of Justice that are essential to reporting a 
     substantial violation of law.
       Sec. 624. No part of any funds appropriated in this or any 
     other Act shall be used by an agency of the executive branch, 
     other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 
     relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, and for 
     the preparation, distribution or use of any kit, pamphlet, 
     booklet, publication, radio, television or film presentation 
     designed to support or defeat legislation pending before the 
     Congress, except in presentation to the Congress itself.
       Sec. 625. (a) In General.--No later than September 30, 
     1998, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
     shall submit to the Congress a report that provides--
        (1) estimates of the total annual costs and benefits of 
     Federal regulatory programs, including quantitative and 
     nonquantitative measures of regulatory costs and benefits;
        (2) estimates of the costs and benefits (including 
     quantitative and nonquantitative measures) of each rule that 
     is likely to have a gross annual effect on the economy of 
     $100,000,000 or more in increased costs;
        (3) an assessment of the direct and indirect impacts of 
     Federal rules on the private sector, State and local 
     government, and the Federal Government; and
        (4) recommendations from the Director and a description of 
     significant public comments to reform or eliminate any 
     Federal regulatory program or program element that is 
     inefficient, ineffective, or is not a sound use of the 
     Nation's resources.
       (b) Notice.--The Director shall provide public notice and 
     an opportunity to comment on the report under subsection (a) 
     before the report is issued in final form.
       Sec. 626. None of the funds appropriated by this Act or any 
     other Act, may be used by an agency to provide a Federal 
     employee's home address to any labor organization except when 
     it is made known to the Federal official having authority to 
     obligate or expend such funds that the employee has 
     authorized such disclosure or that such disclosure has been 
     ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
       Sec. 627. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to 
     establish scientific certification standards for explosives 
     detection canines, and shall provide, on a reimbursable 
     basis, for the certification of explosives detection canines 
     employed by Federal agencies, or other agencies providing 
     explosives detection services at airports in the United 
     States.
       Sec. 628. None of the funds made available in this Act or 
     any other Act may be used to provide any non-public 
     information such as mailing or telephone lists to any person 
     or any organization outside of the Federal Government without 
     the approval of the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations.
       Sec. 629. Notwithstanding section 611, interagency 
     financing is authorized to carry out the purposes of the 
     National Bioethics Advisory Commission.
       Sec. 630. No part of any appropriation contained in this or 
     any other Act shall be used for publicity or propaganda 
     purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized 
     by the Congress.
       Sec. 631. None of the funds appropriated in this or any 
     other Act shall be used to acquire information technologies 
     which do not comply with part 39.106 (Year 2000 compliance) 
     of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, unless an agency's 
     Chief Information Officer determines that non-compliance with 
     part 39.106 is necessary to the function and operation of the 
     requesting agency or the acquisition is required by a signed 
     contract with the agency in effect before the date of 
     enactment of this Act. Any waiver granted by the Chief 
     Information Officer shall be reported to the Office of 
     Management and Budget, and copies shall be provided to 
     Congress.


             Personal Allowance Parity Among NAFTA Parties

       Sec. 632. (a) In General.--The United States Trade 
     Representative and the Secretary of the Treasury, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall initiate 
     discussions with officials of the Governments of Mexico and 
     Canada to achieve parity in the duty-free personal allowance 
     structure of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
       (b) Report.--The United States Trade Representative and the 
     Secretary of the Treasury shall report to Congress within 90 
     days of enactment of this Act on the progress that is being 
     made to correct any disparity between the United States, 
     Mexico, and Canada with respect to duty-free personal 
     allowances.
       (c) Recommendations.--If parity with respect to duty-free 
     personal allowances between the United States, Mexico, and 
     Canada is not achieved within 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative 
     and the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit 
     recommendations to Congress for appropriate legislation.

  Mr. KOLBE (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent 
that the remainder of the bill, through page 101, line 18, be 
considered as read, printed in the Record, and open to amendment at any 
point.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there points of order to the portion of 
the bill read?
  If not, are there amendments?


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Filner

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Filner:
       Add at the end of the bill on page 101, after line 18 the 
     following new section:
       Sec.  . None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be 
     used for any tax-related mailing to any person if the social 
     security account number issued to any individual for purposes 
     of section 205(c)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act is 
     included--
       (1) on the outside of such mailing, or
       (2) as part of the contents of such mailing unless--
       (A) the contents are in an envelope (or other appropriate 
     wrapper) which is sealed, and
       (B) such number may not be viewed without opening such 
     envelope (or wrapper).

     For purposes of this section, the term ``tax-related 
     mailing'' means any mailing related to the administration of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

  Mr. FILNER (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FILNER. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared from the majority side to 
accept this amendment. I know that the Committee on Ways and Means has 
expressed some concerns about some of the language, and I would advise 
the gentleman that I would certainly protect those interests in the 
conference that the Committee on Ways and Means has expressed. They 
have not objected and suggested that this amendment should not be 
accepted here today. I am prepared to accept it.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FILNER. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I thought the amendment might be offered and 
withdrawn, but in light of the chairman's action, I certainly am not 
going to object to this amendment. We will look at it and work with the 
gentleman between now and conference to see if it is workable, and, if 
it is workable, the gentleman has brought up a good idea. I understand 
also that Mr. Bilbray of California is in agreement with the gentleman.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. FILNER. I thank the chairman and the ranking member.
  The amendment orders the IRS, because they have refused to do it 
informally, to stop the printing of Social Security numbers on the 
front of mailings to taxpayers or on their refund checks. This allows a 
practice that has become known as identity theft. People steal your 
Social Security number and then steal your money.
  So I appreciate the Chair and the ranking member for accepting this 
amendment to stop the IRS complicity in identity theft.
  Mr. Chairman, I stand to offer an amendment to the Treasury/Postal 
Appropriations bill because our constituents cannot wait to have the 
Internal Revenue Service protect them from identity theft. It is up to 
Congress to safeguard them from a serious attack on personal privacy--
an insidious practice that has become known as identity theft--which is 
facilitated by the IRS.
  My amendment to the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill will forbid 
the IRS from visibly printing our Social Security numbers on the 
mailing labels of the tax booklets the IRS mails to us every year. It 
will also stop the IRS from printing Social Security numbers on the 
refund checks that millions of people receive annually in a way that 
they are visible through the window envelope. Identity theft is one of 
the fastest growing crimes of the 1990's. Identity thieves make off 
with billions of dollars each year, and each day more than 1,000 people 
are being defrauded.
  With just your name and Social Security number, a thief can open 
credit lines worth $10,000, rent apartments, sign up for utilities, and 
even earn income. Your credit rating is ruined, you risk being rejected 
for everything from a college loan to a mortgage, and it's up to you to 
fix it all.
  Law enforcement generally will not pursue identity theft cases. That 
is why it is crucial that we act now--to prevent the IRS from making 
identity thieves' work even easier by

[[Page H7476]]

allowing public view of Social Security numbers on their mailings and 
refund checks.
  I don't like to ask the Congress to pass judgment of a relatively 
simple issue. When I asked the IRS to change this practice, all I got 
was a bureaucratic runaround. I was told that this was a very complex 
issue and there is no way that they could correct it before the 1999 
filing season. I find it incomprehensible that neither the agency nor 
its contractor can change a computer program for booklets that will be 
mailed in 1998. The IRS apparently has decided to be the conduit for 
identity theft--with the Postal Service as a de facto accomplice.
  My amendment will force the IRS to make this change in time to 
protect one of the most precious keys to our personal information--our 
Social Security numbers--before the coming tax filing season.
  To do any less would expose millions of us to devastating personal 
and financial losses, and the most important loss of all--our good 
name.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FILNER. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from California 
yielding to me.
  Mr. Chairman, what we are saying is that the IRS should not be 
violating the rules and the procedures that we impose on everyone else; 
that this is a privacy issue. The IRS has got to be kept within proper 
boundaries. Technologies need to reflect the privacy laws of this 
country, and we should be leading by example. Even the IRS should be 
leading through example to show the rest of society how we should 
operate.
  Posting this information on the front of a piece of mail, where 
anybody can look at it that opens up that mailbox, really should be 
addressed. The private sector would probably go to jail for doing this. 
I do not think those of us in the public sector should be exempt from 
those privacy rules.
  Mr. FILNER. I thank my colleague; I thank the Chair and the ranking 
member.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore [Mr. LaTourette]. The question is on the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Filner].
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Sanders

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment offered by Mr. Sanders:
       Page 101, after line 18, insert the following new section:
       Sec. 633. None of the funds made available in this Act for 
     the United States Custom Service may be used to allow the 
     importation into the United States of any good, ware, 
     article, or merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured by 
     forced or indentured child labor, as determined pursuant to 
     section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307).

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Chairman, my understanding is that both the majority 
and the minority have accepted this amendment and I thank them.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SANDERS. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, yes, that is correct. I am prepared to 
accept the amendment by the gentleman from Vermont [Mr. Sanders], which 
would amend the bill to prohibit Customs using any of its funding to 
allow any imports into the United States of goods that are produced by 
forced or indentured child labor.
  This is a limitation on an expenditure and it would underscore the 
existing legal barrier. This is already an existing barrier that we 
have on imports which sometimes, however, may not be adequately 
enforced. I think the provision that the gentleman is suggesting here 
is simply a reinforcement of what is existing law, that Customs should 
vigorously enforce the law with regard to imported merchandise that 
uses forced child labor.
  So in my view it supports and clarifies the current legal requirement 
and a practice that is very much in law, and I urge the Members to 
support this amendment.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SANDERS. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his amendment. I 
agree with the remarks of the chairman, the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. 
Kolbe], and we would accept the amendment on this side.
  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona 
[Mr. Kolbe] and the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer]. Indentured 
child labor is one of the ugliest forms of slavery that exists in this 
world. This Congress should stand up for those children. We should not 
be importing products made by indentured child labor, and I thank both 
parties for their support.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by 
the gentleman from Vermont [Mr. Sanders].
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Are there further amendments to the bill?
  If not, the Clerk will read the last two lines.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       This Act may be cited as the ``Treasury, Postal Service, 
     and General Government Appropriations Act, 1998''.

  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Chairman, it is with regret that I rise today in 
opposition to the Treasury-Postal appropriations bill. This bill 
contains many worthwhile programs that are deserving of funding. 
However, the manner in which this bill came to the floor denied Members 
the opportunity to vote for or against the cost of living pay increase 
for Members of Congress. I strongly believe we should be honest enough 
with ourselves and with the American people to openly support or oppose 
this increase instead of sitting silently by while it automatically 
goes into effect.
  When I introduced my legislation, H.R. 2219, to prevent Members from 
receiving the 1998 pay adjustment, I did so because I believe it is 
irresponsible for us to increase our own pay at a time when we have not 
met our obligation to the American people to balance the Federal 
budget. Only days after I introduced my legislation, the Republican 
leadership in both houses was widely quoted in the press as saying the 
pay raise was dead for the year. But instead of letting it die a well-
deserved death, they made late night, back room deals and brought this 
bill to the House floor in a manner accorded precious few pieces of 
legislation. They brought it to the floor with no rule to ensure that 
the pay raise would go into effect.
  I made a commitment to the people of east Texas to eliminate the 
Federal deficit before I would agree to raise my pay. I made a 
commitment to ensure that Medicare is solvent before we raise our pay. 
I made a commitment to ensure that veterans' benefits are fully funded 
before we raise our pay. I made a commitment to ensure that every 
student has an opportunity for a college education before we raise our 
pay.
  The infrastructure across our country is crumbling. However, this 
body narrowly defeated a proposal earlier this year to increase 
spending for the infrastructure. The Republican leadership has made it 
clear to members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
that BESTEA will break the budget agreement and that they will oppose 
this legislation, even though there is additional money in the highway 
trust fund. They want to continue to use the trust fund to mask the 
size of the deficit on the one hand, but on the other they are willing 
to raise our pay. Their logic doesn't make any sense. Why should we 
pass legislation to benefit 535 people when we can't get an agreement 
that will benefit millions of people?
  The Taxpayer Relief Act raised the estate tax exemption from $600,000 
to $1 million by the year 2007. There should be no estate tax. We 
should not be raising our pay until we have eliminated this punitive 
tax. Why should we pass legislation to benefit 535 people when we can't 
get an agreement to protect a family farm?
  When I introduced my bill, I said that I hoped my fellow Members 
would join me in opposing a congressional pay raise until we have taken 
care of the people. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that we have not taken 
care of the people. I can only hope that the conferees will accept the 
Senate language and deny this disingenuous attempt at a pay raise.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Arizona, the distinguished chairman of the Treasury, Postal 
Appropriations Subcommittee, and the gentleman from Florida, the 
distinguished chairman of the Civil Service Subcommittee, for pledging 
to resolve an issue that is very important to me.
  In the course of our discussions about this bill, we have all agreed 
to resolve the issue of pay equity between administrative appeals 
judges and administrative law judges. I appreciate the good work that 
the chairman has done on this bill. He knows that I would have liked to 
have offered an amendment on this subject, but I appreciate his desire 
to resolve pay equity issues through the authorizing committee, in this 
case, the Civil Service Subcommittee on Government Reform and 
Oversight, on which I serve. It is important to raise

[[Page H7477]]

this issue, however, during consideration of this legislation that 
addresses so many Federal employee issues, and I appreciate Mr. Kolbe 
and Mr. Mica's pledge to resolve this issue.
  Last spring, along with my colleague Tom Davis, I wrote to OPM in 
hopes that they could resolve this issue. Unfortunately, they could 
not; we need a legislative solution to resolve this problem. As you 
know, there are 23 administrative appeals judges at the Social Security 
Administration. These judges review numerous decisions made by 
administrative law judges, yet they are not compensated at the same 
level. The appeals council is now the only administrative appellate 
body whose members are paid less than the judges whose orders and 
decisions they review. Historically, AAJ's and ALJ's have been 
compensated at the same level, but in 1990, when we passed the Federal 
Employees Pay Comparability Act, the Congress did not include 
administrative appeals judges in the new administrative law judges 
special pay category. What I want to do is simply ensure that 
administrative appeals judges are paid at the same level as those 
judges whom they review, administrative appeals judges.
  I thank Chairman Mica for his commitment to finally resolve this 
issue in the Civil Service Subcommittee. I look forward to working with 
him in this endeavor.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of striking section 413 
of H.R. 2378. As a former local official, I know that every dollar 
counts, and that local taxpayers are being asked to shoulder an ever-
increasing burden of services the Federal Government no longer 
provides. That is why I support a money saving program for local and 
State governments, and why I now support striking its repeal in this 
appropriations bill.
  The cooperative purchasing program, which Congress passed into law in 
1994--section 1555 of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act--was 
designed to allow local and State governments, school districts, and 
public hospitals to purchase goods and services at the super-discounted 
Federal rate, saving local taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars 
per year. But special interests have manipulated the legislative 
process in order to repeal the program and block local entities from 
getting the most for their tax dollars. They would have Washington let 
local governments be fleeced.
  Here's how the cooperative purchasing program is supposed to work: A 
school district has to purchase computers, chalkboards and basic 
furniture. Thanks to the cooperative purchasing program, the school 
district could buy the supplies and services it needed directly from 
vendors at the discounted prices the General Services Administration 
[GSA] negotiated. GSA is the procurement agency for the Federal 
Government.
  These GSA-negotiated prices are often the lowest anywhere. The 
Federal Government is a very large consumer of all kinds of goods and 
services. That is why it is able to negotiate discounted prices. The 
1994 law simply allowed State and local governments and public agencies 
to benefit from those prices. It is a good example of allowing 
government officials to think and act efficiently.
  Nursing homes and public hospitals would also benefit, since they 
must purchase equipment, medical devices, and life-saving drugs for 
elderly citizens and the ill, especially people with AIDS. Basic local 
government would also operate more efficiently and less expensively, 
since local governments could purchase many products and services at 
discounted prices, saving State and local taxpayers billions of 
dollars.
  Initiated by the National Performance Review, led by Vice President 
Gore, cooperative purchasing aims to bring efficient practices to local 
and State governments without onerous regulations or government 
mandates. If for some reason a locality did not want to use the 
cooperative purchasing program, it would not have to. Cooperative 
purchasing is also completely voluntary for industry, and it costs the 
Federal Government nothing.
  The bottom-line savings would be realized by local taxpayers, who pay 
the bill of local government. A pilot project in West Virginia 
demonstrated that police departments could purchase cruisers at the GSA 
discount price, saving local governments close to 10 percent. Furniture 
is available at a discount of 25 percent. Pharmaceuticals and medical 
devices are available at up to a 37 percent savings.
  Athough saving money for local taxpayers is a good idea, there are 
those who oppose it. Certain industry groups benefit from government 
inefficiency and would like nothing more than to have the law repealed. 
The pharmaceutical industry wants to see the program repealed, because 
cooperative purchasing would entitle public hospitals and AIDS clinics 
to significant discounts on life-saving drugs--why sell AIDS drugs at a 
life-saving discount when you can sell at full price? The medical 
equipment industry is also mobilizing against the discounts.
  I believe that a reasonable policy is to allow willing industries to 
participate in the cooperative purchasing program. Indeed, it has 
received support from a group of Fortune 500 backers, especially in the 
computer and software industry. In addition, every major association of 
elected and appointed officials has endorsed the cooperative purchasing 
program, from mayors to Governors, from school boards to regional 
hospitals.
  Local police departments benefit from a similar, voluntary program 
administered by the Department of Defense. That program faced initial 
resistance from certain industry groups, but it has blossomed into a 
program where hundreds of local police departments are able to purchase 
police cars, bullet-proof vests, and other crime fighting equipment at 
money-saving prices.
  Strong interest groups have spent large amounts in political 
contributions to kill the cooperative purchasing program, without even 
a hearing or congressional debate. Repeal of cooperative purchasing is 
tantamount to a tax increase on every resident in America.
  We have a way to reduce the cost of government. It's called the 
cooperative purchasing program. Today, the House will keep this idea 
and this program alive by striking its repeal with a point of order. 
Let us hope that the House conferees may see to it to preserve the 
program in conference with the other body.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I am disappointed that this bill has been 
considered in a manner that has led to the language repealing section 
1555 of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act being stricken on a 
point of order.
  Mr. Chairman, section 1555 sounds like a good idea, but like many 
efforts to control the marketplace through Government price fixing, it 
can trigger certain law of unintended consequences. The most basic 
unintended consequence is pretty simple to understand--instead of 
leading suppliers to lower their prices charged to State and local 
buyers, section 1555 will lead them to raise their prices to the 
Federal Government. What else can be expected when the Government 
suddenly decrees that a discount price available to a volume buyer who 
constitutes 3 to 4 percent of a manufacturer's sales volume must be 
provided to perhaps to 30 to 40 percent of that manufacturers sales 
volume?
  Mr. Chairman, this law should be repealed and I am certain that the 
votes to do so exist in this body. It is unfortunate that the provision 
has been removed in this manner. I urge the conferees to recede to the 
Senate on this issue and I am certain that a conference report 
repealing this unfortunate law would receive overwhelming support in 
the House.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express deep regret that the 
committee bill for FY 1998 would not permit waiver under the rules.
  My amendment would have required the creation and enforcement of new 
standards of security for the firearms inventories of federally 
licensed gun dealers. Let me explain to the committee why this 
amendment is so important. First, this amendment will not infringe on 
the rights of any gun owner to buy a gun. This amendment only creates 
new Federal guidelines to secure the inventories of firearms in gun 
shops. It, in fact, makes gun shops safer for gun owners to go and buy 
a new gun.
  Second, this amendment meets a pressing need to make our 
neighborhoods and streets safer from criminals who use guns stolen from 
gun shops to commit horrible crimes. On April 19, 1997, a young man 
named Georgio Gallara age 24 was working at Tony's Pizza and Pasta, a 
new small business he owned in Sussex County NJ. He was joined by his 
employee, 22-year-old Jeremy Giordano to go on a pizza delivery. When 
they arrived to deliver the pizzas, they were brutally gunned down, 
being shot eight times in the head and neck. When police arrested two 
men for the murders they found that the gun used in the crime was 
stolen from a local sporting goods store a couple of weeks earlier.
  Guns stolen from gun shops have become a major crime problem in our 
communities. Since September 1994, licensed firearms dealers have 
reported 23,775 guns stolen, lost, or missing to the BATF. Up to 32 
percent of firearms used in the commission of a crime are obtained by 
the criminal directly by theft. Stolen guns are a serious threat to our 
safety.
  This amendment will require the BATF, under the direction of the 
Secretary of Treasury, to create security standards for gun dealers. 
Gun inventories will have to be secured within the store in order to 
prevent a common thief from stealing them. Store owners use a safe to 
put their money in at the end of the business day. Store owners do not 
leave valuable inventories sitting in window displays vulnerable to 
smash and grab robberies. Why shouldn't we require gun dealers to 
secure their inventories especially when so many guns are stolen and 
used in crimes.
  This amendment is based on common sense. Any law abiding gun owner 
should welcome this improvement as a real means of reducing crime. 
Critics may call this another

[[Page H7478]]

form of gun control, but the only guns this amendment controls are the 
ones in the hands of violent criminals. Based on this, Mr. Chairman, I 
ask that my amendment be Treasury/Postal appropriations bill of 1997.
  Mr. Chairman, this issue will not go away. I an others will use every 
means of persuasion to urge the Judiciary Committee to take this up on 
an expedited basis.
  A copy of my amendment follows:
       Page 101, after line 18, insert the following:


          minimum safety and security standards for gun shops

       Sec. 633. (a) In General.--Section 923 of title 18, United 
     States Code, is amended hereafter by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(m) Safety and Security Standards for Gun Shops.--
       ``(1) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the Treasury, 
     action through the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, 
     Tobacco, and Firearms, shall issue final regulations that 
     establish minimum firearm safety and security standards that 
     shall apply to dealers who are issued a license under this 
     section.
       ``(2) Minimum standards.--The regulations issued under this 
     subsection shall include minimum safety and security 
     standards for--
       ``(A) a place of business in which a dealer covered by the 
     regulations conducts business or stores firearms;
       ``(B) windows, the front door, storage rooms, containers, 
     alarms, and other items of a place of business referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) that the Secretary of the Treasury, acting 
     through the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and 
     Firearms, determines to be appropriate; and
       ``(C) the storage and handling of the firearms contained in 
     a place of business referred to in subparagraph (A).''.
       (b) Inspections.--Section 923(g)(1) of title 18, United 
     States Code, is amended hereafter--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``, and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) with respect the place of business of a licensed 
     dealer, the safety and security measures taken by the dealer 
     to ensure compliance with the regulations issued under 
     subsection (m).''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting ``and 
     the place of business of a licensed dealer'' after ``licensed 
     dealer'';
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (C) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; or''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iv) not more than once during any 12-month period, for 
     ensuring compliance by a licensed dealer with the regulations 
     issued under subsection (m).''.
       (c) Penalties.--Section 924(a)(1) of title 18, United 
     States Code, is amended hereafter--
       (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); 
     and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
       ``(D) being a licensed dealer, knowingly fails to comply 
     with any applicable regulation issued under section 923(m); 
     and''.

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Chairman, I insert this letter into 
the Record, concerning H.R. 2378, Treasury-Postal Service 
appropriations for fiscal year 1998.
                                                September 8, 1997.
       Dear Representative: In late-July, during mark-up of the 
     Fiscal Year 1998 Treasury-Postal Service-General Government 
     Appropriations bill, the Appropriations Committee accepted an 
     amendment that would allow foreign governments to export to 
     the United States for commercial sale, millions of military 
     weapons the United States previously made available to 
     foreign countries through military assistance programs.
       For a range of public health and safety, national security, 
     and taxpayer reasons, we strongly urge you vote to delete 
     this provision from the Fiscal Year 1998 Treasury-Postal 
     Service-General Government Appropriations bill.
       Supporters of this amendment describe it as an innocuous 
     measure which simply allows the importation of some obsolete 
     ``curios and relics.'' In reality, the amendment would allow 
     the import of an estimated 2.5 million weapons of war, 
     including 1.2 million M1 carbines. The M1 carbine is a semi-
     automatic weapon that can be easily converted into automatic 
     fire and comes equipped with a 15-30 round detachable 
     magazine.
       THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE: Although the backers of the 
     provision claim that these World War II era weapons are now 
     harmless ``curios and relics'', in reality they remain deadly 
     assault weapons. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
     and Firearms, the M1 Carbine can easily be converted into a 
     fully-automatic assault rifle. For this reason, the 
     Department of Defense has refused to sell its surplus stocks 
     of these weapons to civilian gun dealers and collectors in 
     the United States.
       According to Raymond W. Kelley, the Treasury Department's 
     Under-Secretary for Enforcement, the inflow of these weapons 
     will drive down the price of similar weapons, making them 
     more accessible to criminals. Already, during 1995-1996, ATF 
     has traced 1,172 M1911 pistols and 639 M1 rifles to crimes 
     committed in the United States.
       THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT CONCERN: Nearly 2.5 million 
     of these weapons were given or sold as ``security 
     assistance'' to allied governments. Under United States law, 
     recipients of American arms and military aid must obtain 
     permission from the United States government before re-
     transferring those arms to third parties. Setting a dangerous 
     precedent, this amendment fundamentally undercuts the ability 
     of the United States government to exercise its right of 
     refusal on retransfer of United States arms.
       The Reagan, Bush, and Clinton Administrations have all 
     barred imports of these military weapons by the American 
     public. The Appropriations bill explicitly overrides this 
     policy, prohibiting the government from denying applications 
     for the importation of ``U.S. origin ammunition and curio or 
     relic firearms and parts.'' In effect, the provision would 
     force the Administration to allow thousands of M1 assault 
     rifles and M1911 pistols into circulation with the civilian 
     population, thereby not only threatening public safety but 
     also undermining governmental oversight and taxpayer 
     accountability.
       This is also a taxpayer concern. The amendment also 
     presents a windfall of millions of dollars to foreign 
     governments and United States gun dealers. The amendment 
     effectively terminates a requirement that allies reimburse 
     the United States treasury if they sell United States-
     supplied weapons. According to ATF, each M1 Carbine, M1 
     Garand rifle, and M1911 pistol currently sells for about 
     $300-500 in the United States market. The South Korean, 
     Turkish, and Pakistani governments and militaries stand to 
     make millions from the resale of these weapons. South Korea 
     has 1.3 million M1 Garands and Carbines, while the Turkish 
     military and police have 136,000 M1 Garands and 50,000 M1911 
     pistols. These weapons were originally given free, or sold at 
     highly subsidized rates, or retrieved as ``spoils of war.'' 
     The United States Department of Defense does not sell these 
     lethal weapons on the commercial market for profit. Why 
     should we allow foreign governments to do so?
       Again, we strongly urge you vote to delete this provision 
     from the Fiscal Year 1998 Treasury-Postal Service-General 
     Government Appropriations bill.
       Thank you.
         American College of Physicians; American Friends Service 
           Committee, James Matlack, Director, Washington Office; 
           American Jewish Congress, David A. Harris, Director, 
           Washington Office; American Public Health Association, 
           Mohammad Akhter, M.D., Executive Director; Americans 
           for Democratic Action, Amy Isaacs, National Director; 
           British American Security Information Council, Dan 
           Plesch, Director; Ceasefire New Jersey, Bryan Miller, 
           Executive Director; Children's Defense Fund.
         Church of the Brethren, Washington Office, Heather Nolen, 
           Coordinator; Church Women United, Ann Delorey, 
           Legislative Director; Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, 
           Michael K. Beard, President; Community Healthcare 
           Association of New York State, Ina Labiner, Executive 
           Director; Concerned Citizens of Bensonhurst, Inc., 
           Adeline Michaels, President; Connecticut Coalition 
           Against Gun Violence, Sue McCalley, Executive Director; 
           Demilitarization for Democracy; Episcopal Peace 
           Fellowship, Mary H. Miller, Executive Secretary.
         Federation of American Scientists, Jeremy J. Stone, 
           President; Friends Committee on National Legislation, 
           Edward (Ned) W. Stowe, Legislative Secretary; General 
           Federation of Women's Clubs, Laurie Cooper, GFWC 
           Legislative Director; Handgun Control, Inc., Sarah 
           Brady, Chair; Independent Action, Ralph Santora, 
           Political Director; Iowans for the Prevention of Gun 
           Violence, John Johnson, State Coordinator; Legal 
           Community Against Violence, Barrie Becker, Executive 
           Director; Lutheran Office for Government Affairs, ELCA, 
           The Rev. Russ Siler; Mennonite Central Committee, 
           Washington Office, J. Daryl Byler, Director.
         National Association of Children's Hospitals & Related 
           Institutions, Stacy Collins, Assoc. Director, Child 
           Health Improve; National Association of Secondary 
           School Principals, Stephen R. Yurek, General Counsel; 
           National Black Police Association, Ronald E. Hampton, 
           Executive Director; National Coalition Against Domestic 
           Violence, Rita Smith, Executive Director; National 
           Commission for Economic Conversion and Disarmament, 
           Miriam Pemberton, Director; National Council of the 
           Churches of Christ in the U.S., Albert M. Pennybacker, 
           Director, Washington Office; National League of Cities; 
           New Hampshire Ceasefire, Alex Herlihy, Co-Chair.
         New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Barbara Hohlt, Chair; 
           Orange County Citizens for the Prevention of Gun 
           Violence, Mary Leigh Blek, Chair; Peace Action, Gordon 
           S. Clark, Executive Director; Pennsylvanians Against 
           Handgun Violence, Daniel J. Siegel, President; 
           Physicians for Social Responsibility, Robert K. Musil, 
           PhD., Executive Director; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 
           Washington Office, Elenora

[[Page H7479]]

           Giddings Ivory, Director; Project on Government 
           Oversight, Danielle Brian, Executive Director; 
           Saferworld, Peter J. Davies, U.S. Representative.
         Texans Against Gun Violence-Houston, Dave Smith, 
           President; Unitarian Universalist Association of 
           Congregations, The Rev. Meg A. Riley, Director, 
           Washington Office for Faith In Action; U.S. Conference 
           of Mayors; Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 
           Richard S. Scobie, Executive Director; Virginians 
           Against Handgun Violence, Alice Mountjoy, President; 
           WAND (Women's Action for New Directions), Susan Shaer, 
           Executive Director; Westside Crime Prevention Program, 
           Marjorie Cohen, Executive Director; YWCA of the U.S.A., 
           Prema Mathai-Davis, Chief Executive Off; 20/20 Vision, 
           Robin Caiola, Executive Director.

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the 
distinguished chairman and ranking member for their work in securing 
adequate funding for some essential antidrug initiatives. I am 
particularly proud to support the drug free communities matching 
grants, which will help community coalitions in the 37th District of 
California and throughout the country address the Nation's drug 
problem.
  From 1991 to 1996, the proportion of eighth-graders using an illicit 
drug more than doubled from 11 to 24 percent. Ten years ago, 18.6 
percent of high school students reported using at least one illicit 
drug over the course of a year, and now, 29 percent of high school 
students report using at least one illicit drug. That is a 58.6-percent 
increase.
  Thanks to the drug-free communities grants, we can change these 
numbers and parents, teachers, churches, and entire communities can 
come together to prevent, treat and ultimately, end drug abuse. 
Creating opportunities for community coalitions to overcome the problem 
of drug abuse is essential in our effort to maintain and strengthen 
communities in the 37th District of California, and throughout the 
entire country.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the authors of this 
bill for their work in increasing funding for drug enforcement 
activities.
  One million dollars in funding for the designation of central Florida 
as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area [HIDTA] has been provided in 
the House Treasury, Postal Service and General Government 
appropriations bill. I made this request because I feel it is necessary 
that we commit every available resource to combat the drug scourge in 
central Florida.
  A HIDTA designation would provide additional resources to help better 
coordinate Federal, State, and local drug activities. My intent is to 
support local efforts to combat the influx of drugs and the attending 
crime that results.
  In the Orlando area, heroin overdose deaths went from zero in 1993 to 
30 last year. More teens died locally of overdoses than almost any 
other major U.S. city. So you can see the situation we are in. In fact, 
my area in Orlando also ranked second behind Miami in total cocaine 
deaths in Florida. This situation has deteriorated to such an extent in 
Florida that I have asked our drug czar, Barry McCaffrey, to cooperate 
in qualifying central Florida as a HIDTA which would bring much needed 
resources to our area and into our State.
  There already are HIDTA's operating in many cities and regions 
throughout the country--including a successful program in Miami--and 
they have proved successful in aiding with command and control, 
manpower and funding issues. Your support for adding central Florida to 
the HIDTA list guarantees that Florida will continue to have adequate 
funding to battle the increasing amount of illegal drugs that are 
trafficking through our state.
  Following are additional alarming statistics about drug use which 
argue for strengthening our resolve to winning the war on drugs for the 
sake of our children:

1997 CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia 
                  University) Survey of Public Opinion

       By the Time Middle School Students Reach 13--
       40% know someone who has used acid, cocaine or heroin.
       29% can buy marijuana within a day; 12% can buy marijuana 
     within an hour or less.
       27% have friends who use marijuana.
       1 in 4 have attended a party in the last six months where 
     marijuana was available.
       15% have witnessed the sale of drugs in their neighborhood.
       1 in 10 have a schoolmate who died because of drugs or 
     alcohol.

1997 CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia 
                  University) Survey of Public Opinion

       By the Time High School Students Reach 17.
       Almost 3 out of 4 know someone personally who uses acid, 
     cocaine or heroin.
       Two thirds can buy marijuana within a day; 44% within an 
     hour or less.
       62% have friends who use marijuana; 21% will say more than 
     half of their friends use marijuana; 34% say at least half of 
     their friends use marijuana.
       60% have attended a party in the past six months where 
     marijuana was available; for 30%, more than half of the 
     parties they attend have marijuana.
       Half have personally seen drugs sold on their school 
     grounds.
       One third have witnessed the sale of drugs in their 
     neighborhood.
       1 out of 4 have a schoolmate who died because of drugs or 
     alcohol.
       Only 1 in 4 are willing to report a drug user in their 
     school to school officials.
  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I move the Committee do now rise and report 
the bill back to the House, with sundry amendments, with the 
recommendation that the amendments be agreed to and that the bill, as 
amended, do pass.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Smith of New Jersey) having assumed the chair, Mr. LaTourette, Chairman 
pro tempore of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the 
bill (H.R. 2378) making appropriations for the Treasury Department, the 
United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, 
and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 1998, and for other purposes, had directed him to report the bill 
back to the House with sundry amendments, with the recommendation that 
the amendments be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, do pass.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is a separate vote demanded on any 
amendment? If not, the Chair will put them en gros.

  The amendments were agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XV, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 231, 
nays 192, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 403]

                               YEAS--231

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Andrews
     Archer
     Armey
     Ballenger
     Barrett (NE)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Borski
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brown (CA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cardin
     Castle
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Combest
     Conyers
     Cook
     Coyne
     Crapo
     Cummings
     Davis (IL)
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLay
     Dellums
     Diaz-Balart
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fawell
     Fazio
     Filner
     Flake
     Fowler
     Frank (MA)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Green
     Greenwood
     Hall (OH)
     Hansen
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hefner
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Horn
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Hyde
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kilpatrick
     Kim
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     LaFalce
     Lantos
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Livingston
     Maloney (NY)
     Manton
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDade
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHale
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Miller (FL)
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Neal
     Ney
     Nussle
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Owens
     Oxley
     Packard
     Pallone
     Parker
     Pastor
     Paxon
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Quinn
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogers
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roybal-Allard
     Rush
     Sabo
     Sawyer
     Scott
     Serrano
     Shaw
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (OR)
     Smith (TX)
     Solomon
     Spence
     Stark
     Stokes
     Stupak
     Tanner
     Tauzin
     Taylor (NC)
     Thomas
     Tierney
     Torres
     Towns

[[Page H7480]]


     Traficant
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Walsh
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Wexler
     Wicker
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                               NAYS--192

     Aderholt
     Allen
     Bachus
     Baesler
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (WI)
     Becerra
     Berry
     Bono
     Boswell
     Brady
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Burr
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Capps
     Carson
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chenoweth
     Christensen
     Coble
     Coburn
     Collins
     Condit
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Cramer
     Crane
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeLauro
     Deutsch
     Dickey
     Duncan
     Emerson
     English
     Ensign
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fox
     Franks (NJ)
     Gejdenson
     Gibbons
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Graham
     Granger
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilleary
     Hinojosa
     Hooley
     Hostettler
     Hulshof
     Hutchinson
     Inglis
     Istook
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (WI)
     Jones
     Kelly
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kildee
     Kind (WI)
     Klug
     Kucinich
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Largent
     Lazio
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Manzullo
     McCarthy (MO)
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Minge
     Moran (KS)
     Myrick
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Northup
     Norwood
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Paul
     Pease
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Portman
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Redmond
     Reyes
     Riggs
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rogan
     Rohrabacher
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Royce
     Ryun
     Salmon
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaefer, Dan
     Schaffer, Bob
     Schumer
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith, Adam
     Snowbarger
     Snyder
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stump
     Sununu
     Talent
     Tauscher
     Taylor (MS)
     Thompson
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Turner
     Visclosky
     Wamp
     Watkins
     Watts (OK)
     Weller
     Weygand
     Whitfield
     Wise

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Davis (VA)
     Foglietta
     Furse
     Gonzalez
     Goss
     Oberstar
     Schiff
     Smith, Linda
     White
     Yates

                              {time}  1544

  Messrs. GRAHAM, BRYANT, JENKINS, RADANOVICH, LAMPSON, BOSWELL, 
CRAMER, BARCIA, PETERSON of Minnesota, FRANKS of New Jersey, and 
GIBBONS, Ms. NORTHUP, and Messrs. MCINNIS, POSHARD, PRICE of North 
Carolina, ETHERIDGE, and HINOJOSA, Ms. LOFGREN, and Messrs. SCHUMER, 
THOMPSON, PITTS, and BONO, Mrs. CUBIN, Mrs. TAUSCHER, and Messrs. HALL 
of Texas, CHAMBLISS, BAESLER, WATTS of Oklahoma, FORD, REYES, GOODLING, 
DEUTSCH, DICKEY, STENHOLM, LAZIO of New York, SESSIONS, KENNEDY of 
Rhode Island, and COX of California changed their vote from ``yea'' to 
``nay''.
  Mr. McGOVERN, Mr. PAYNE and Ms. PELOSI changed their vote from 
``nay'' to ``yea.''

                              {time}  1545

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________